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Handling Guest Complaints: The Complete Guide for Hotels

customer clicking unhappy face to file guest complaint

A negative hotel customer experience has the potential to affect a property's success in a variety of ways. Whether by raising alarm while on the property or by harming your ranking with a poor online review, a hotel guest with a complaint can leave a lasting mark. Successful hoteliers and hospitality professionals understand how an unresolved guest issue can affect a hotel’s performance, and they place significant value on handling guest complaints smoothly.

In this guide, we are covering the ins and outs of hotel guest complaints — dealing with displeased guests in person, responding to online feedback , and so much more. We discuss why guests complain, different strategies for handling guest complaints, and which techniques can help your team turn problems into praises.

Uncover must-know tips and strategies for handling guest complaints

There are endless reasons that a hotel guest may make a complaint. Some complaints are based on physical concerns, such as hotel cleanliness or maintenance problems, while other complaints may pertain more to the guest experience.

Tools to help maximize your hotel's reputation management

One guest may complain about the service they received at your property. Another traveler may arrive and be surprised to find they did not book the room type they expected from a third-party site. You may even encounter a guest who feels they were misled by the sales team, an online offer, or a confusing promotion. Certain critiques, however, tend to pop up more often than others.

Common hotel guest complaints

Familiarize your staff with the most common complaints hotel guests make and take proactive steps to address potential concerns before they arise. Research common hotel mistakes and how to avoid them and t rain hotel staff to recognize and respond to common guest complaints, such as:

In-room cleanliness concerns
Unpleasant odors (e.g., smoke, pets)
Problems with the temperature (too hot or too cold)
Trouble with the Wi-Fi
A lack of free services or amenities
The hotel is too noisy
Too much traffic near guest rooms
Lack of customer service
In-room amenities not working
Broken elevators or other maintenance issues
Other guests not respecting hotel rules
Displeased with the food/food and beverage service

While a fair number of guest complaints are the product of hotel service or an issue with the property, others arise out of problems that are out of the hotel’s control entirely. Experiencing issues with a third-party site, not receiving an expected package, or getting stranded due to weather complications could cause a guest to complain. While those issues would be out of your control, the negative experiences could still lead to an unsatisfactory guest stay and a resulting complaint.

Locating guest complaints

Certain guests are comfortable speaking up and are prepared to notify a team member if they're unhappy with an aspect of their stay. They may speak to the front desk staff, request a manager, or make a complaint to another staff member directly. But hoteliers cannot count on every guest to vocalize a complaint. Not all guests are comfortable with confrontation, and some would prefer not to make a complaint during their stay at all. In fact, hotels often receive post-stay feedback from guests who didn’t bring up a concern during their stay, but who made a complaint in a feedback survey or review after departure.

Regularly check the following places for recent guest complaints:

Social media pages
Your website
Branded survey responses
Online review sites (TripAdvisor, Yelp)
Third-party booking sites (Hotels.com, Booking.com, Kayak.com)
Front desk/departmental notes, logs, or “pass-alongs”

Keep your eyes and ears open for guest complaints so that you can respond to them as soon as possible.

Take your hotel's online presence to unprecedented heights

The consequences of unanswered hotel guest complaints

Failing to respond to guest complaints in a suitable and timely manner can hinder a hotel’s performance in a variety of ways. For example:

Failing to oversee guest complaints can lead to revenue loss. While correcting a guest issue could mean reducing the room rate, or comping a guest stay, failing to manage a guest complaint could cause a guest to choose not to return to your property. Losing revenue from one guest may not seem significant at first, but the cost of pushing guest after guest away can add up quickly. On average, it's five times more expensive to attract a new customer than to retain a current one. Putting effort into pleasing current guests can go a long way toward building hotel customer loyalty .
Unanswered guest complaints can damage a hotel’s reputation. Dissatisfied guests may share their feedback on hotel social media pages, review sites, online booking sites, or within the community. Guests who had a poor experience at your property, or verbalized an issue that wasn't addressed by staff, may feel compelled to share their experience with others. When guests address their complaints online, their feedback could lead to lower online scores, a scorched community reputation, and a lower hotel ranking. Incorporate handling guest complaints into your hotel reputation management strategy.
Negative online reviews can affect a hotel’s SERP placement. Online guest complaints and negative reviews can damage your hotel’s SEO ranking and placement on SERPs (search engine result pages). The algorithms used by major search engines take reviews, ratings, and rankings into account when compiling search results. When search engines find guest reviews flagged with negative industry phrases (e.g., “lost reservation”) regularly attached to your business, they will start to associate your business with those phrases, negatively impacting your hospitality SEO .

Responding to in-person complaints in 5 steps

Preparation is one of the best tools a hotel employee can have at their disposal when handling guest complaints face-to-face. When it comes to in-person guest complaints, however, any staff member could quickly be caught off guard and forced to think on their feet. Practice and preparation can ease the stress of responding to an unfortunate situation with an in-house guest. Handle in-person guest complaints in five steps:

1. Stay calm and listen.

Depending on a guest’s disposition when they approach you with a complaint, you may find it difficult to remain calm and not respond with emotion. As trying as it may be at times, the first step to effectively handling guest complaints is to listen calmly. Do not enter the conversation with arrogance or make assumptions about what is upsetting the guest. If a guest is coming to you with a problem, it's usually because they want to be heard. Hear them out.

2. Identify the type of guest to whom you are speaking.

There are different types of hotel guests that hospitality professionals inevitably encounter throughout their career. For example, there are guests who only complain about serious matters, others who are notoriously difficult to satisfy, and unfortunately there are even hotel guests who complain regularly to avoid paying full-price — or any price — for their stay. When dealing with a complaint, identify the guest’s energy, personality type, and choose a problem-solving strategy that fits the specific situation.

3. Find the real source of the complaint.

Sometimes, what we complain about isn’t really what’s bothering us. Consider why a specific issue may be so important to a particular guest. Dig deeper. Ask the right questions and look for the root cause of the guest’s dissatisfaction. If you are having a challenging time getting the information you need from a guest, try a prompting question: “Could you give me an example?” or “Would you mind expanding further?”

4. Find and offer a solution.

After you identify the type of guest you're working with and the true cause of their complaint, find the most appropriate solution. Work to find a resolution that addresses the actual problem as well as the guest’s feelings about the issue. Guest complaints can often be resolved with a simple acknowledgment followed by an apology and a commitment to doing better next time. Other complaints, however, may require a monetary adjustment to their bill or a one-on-one conversation with a hotel manager. An important part of handling guest complaints is deciding which solutions are reasonable and appropriate for the situation at hand. Setting up a refund policy could help avoid employee confusion when offering potential solutions.

5. Follow up to confirm that the problem was resolved.

Always follow up with hotel guests who have made a complaint. For in-room issues, such as a broken TV or stained comforter, touch base with the guest soon. After maintenance, housekeeping, or the department overseeing the complaint has addressed the issue, give it a few minutes, and then check in with the guest to make sure the problem has been resolved.

When a guest makes a complaint during departure, or after they have left the hotel, look to see if the guest has any upcoming or future reservations. If so, make a note in their next reservation to remind staff of the recent complaint. Double-check their reservation details and room prior to arrival to ensure that everything is in tip-top shape. Leaving a brief note that thanks the guest for giving your hotel another opportunity is a small gesture that can go a long way. Acknowledging appreciation for customer loyalty is a thoughtful way to impress hotel guests .

Responding to written guest complaints

Responding to written guest complaints, whether on paper or online, is similar to handling an in-person complaint. The primary difference is that responders have time to contemplate and craft their answers with care.

When managing written guest complaints, try:

Responding with respect and sincerity.
Acknowledging guest concerns and taking responsibility.
Offering a solution and your commitment to improvement.
Asking for the chance to provide a better experience in the future.
Keeping your tone professional and consistent across all platforms.

Successful hoteliers can turn a guest complaint or negative experience into an uplifting opportunity. They understand the powerful positive impact that effectively handling a guest complaint can have on a hotel’s success. Experts also know that regularly responding to online feedback is an effective way to use guest reviews for hotel sales , as it can improve your property’s search result ranking.

Turning a guest complaint into a rave review

On-site guest complaints present a unique opportunity for hotel employees to “turn things around” while the guest is in-house, potentially building a strong relationship with a new loyal customer. This phenomenon is called the “service recovery paradox.”

The service recovery paradox is an idea that refers to the way some customers react after a perceived problem is corrected in an outstanding or especially pleasing manner. In this paradoxical situation, the customer is happier with a business after fixing an issue with their service (or product) than they would have been with the business had no issue occurred. Like other customers, hotel guests who experience the paradox are more satisfied after a negative experience has been resolved in a positive manner than they were before the negative experience took place.

Create a “service recovery” box and have it available for hotel staff to use at their discretion. Include gift certificates, tickets to local attractions, headphones, neck pillows, coloring books, and other items that could help please distraught guests. Log items as they are used, note which service recovery methods are the most requested, and make sure that the box is always full of unique resources or amenities that will wow your guests .

Pleasing guests with major complaints may require rate-related service recovery options. Significant inconveniences may justify offering a discounted or complimentary stay, a room upgrade, complimentary service packages, in-house credits, or other “olive branches” attached to hotel revenue. Every hotel marketing plan should include a service recovery strategy. Outline specific situations when service recovery may be warranted, and which employees are authorized to use service recovery when handling guest complaints.

10 tips for handling guest complaints

1. Respond to all complaints as quickly as possible.

Whether in-house or online, all guest complaints should be addressed with speed and determination. Letting a problem linger can allow it to snowball — potentially turning a minor inconvenience into the reason a loyal guest decides not to return. Responding to a complaint quickly shows commitment to guest satisfaction and a dedication to quality customer service.

2. Create a logbook to track guest complaints.

Task each department head with maintaining a log of guest complaints. Note the time and date that complaints were made and the guest’s name and room number. Detail the guest complaint, the proposed solution, and whether the issue was resolved. Keep track of the status of guest complaints to help ensure that the proper team members are notified and that the complaint is resolved. Logging complaints and analyzing customer feedbac k can help identify trends such as cleanliness concerns or a lack of consistent customer service. Use the logbook to identify repair needs, hotel front desk training opportunities, and operational areas of improvement.

3. Pre-tackle negativity.

A guest may not like the solution to their issue — especially if it's seen as an inconvenience, such as moving rooms or waiting a long time to check-in. Point this out prior to offering a solution to help prevent further objection or negativity that could stem from your response.

4. Explain why you chose the solution that you did.

Let guests know why you're managing their complaint in a specific manner. Taking a moment to explain your response can help make a dissatisfied guest feel heard. A simple conversation explaining your thought process can help prevent a guest from feeling like you're trying to brush off their concern and instead confirm that you chose the best solution for the guest.

5. Practice handling guest complaints with hotel staff.

Practice will boost confidence and help make your team more comfortable tackling guest issues. Ideally, we want hotel employees to be on the same page, but not acting like hospitality robots responding to guest complaints as if they were reading from the same exact script. Ask staff members to provide examples of real guest complaints they've encountered. Roleplay different scenarios and allow hotel staff to practice how they would respond to a guest regarding a similar complaint. Practicing situational scenarios in training is helpful because employees can see examples of others interacting with a complaining guest. In addition, taking part in preparatory training exercises can help put team members more at ease when unusual complaints arise.

6. Be prepared to overcome guest objections.

Seasoned hospitality professionals know that some guests are simply difficult to please. No matter what solution is offered, there always seems to be an objection —t oo late, too little, not good enough. Work common guest objections, such as anger, negativity, or even irrational responses, into training scenarios. Brainstorm as a team to find a variety of diverse ways to overcome the guest’s objection. Discuss what worked and what didn't in each scenario. Point out best practices, “aha!” moments, and identify what could have been done differently to produce a better outcome.

7. Thank the guest.

Show gratitude to guests who take the time to bring a problem to your attention. Let them know that you appreciate the honest feedback, as it gives you the opportunity to improve hotel service, rework problematic policies, or find gaps in employee training.

8. Strike a balance between the good and the bad.

Sharing guest complaints can put staff members on the lookout for repeat issues and encourage them to handle problems when they occur. Reviewing too much negative feedback, however, is sure to weigh team spirits down. Collect and share positive guest feedback with hotel team members. Highlight feedback that individual employees get, as well as singular departments and the entire hotel.

9. Always follow up, even if virtually.

Follow up with guests who make a complaint, even if they do not have foreseeable plans to return to your area. Reach out via email after departure or invite them to discuss their experience with you in more detail on a video call. Hoteliers who didn't get an opportunity to speak with a disgruntled guest personally can discuss the original complaint, how it was handled, and whether the guest left with a positive or negative opinion of the hotel.

10. Never take guest complaints personally.

Whether you're facing an upset guest who is displeased with the condition of the property or trying to deescalate a lobby of upset guests after an overbooking fiasco, remember not to take guest complaints to heart. Always take care of yourself personally and professionally . Remind yourself and your team members that upset guests are expressing their displeasure at the situation, not the person. Even when a guest’s emotions feel directed right at you, do your best to separate their response from yourself as an individual.

Handling guest complaints as a team

Hospitality-focused hoteliers with a “service first” mindset understand the importance of training all staff members to manage customer complaints — not just those who work in forward-facing positions. While front desk team members may receive the most vocal complaints, guests will often express their displeasure to other hotel employees nearby.

Team members from the housekeeping, maintenance, food service, and laundry departments may also encounter guests with negative feedback, such as a leak in their room or a cleanliness issue. Providing all team members with complaint management training will help guarantee that any guest complaint that gets reported will be addressed promptly and respectfully.

Bookmark this post or share it with your team for help handling guest complaints

Now you have the knowledge and resources needed for responding to critical feedback from hotel guests. Up next, take a step further and learn how to respond to hotel reviews .

Kim Campbell

Kim is a full-time copy and content writer with many years of experience in the hospitality industry. She entered the hotel world in 2013 as a housekeeping team member and worked her way through various departments before being appointed to Director of Sales. Kim has championed numerous successful sales efforts, revenue strategies, and marketing campaigns — all of which landed her a spot on Hotel Management Magazine’s “Thirty Under 30” list.

Don’t be fooled though; she’s not all business! An avid forest forager, post-apocalyptic fiction fan, and free-sample-fiend, Kim prides herself on being well-rounded.

Blog Home Uncategorized How to handle guests complaints How to handle guests complaints

Why learning how to handle guests complaints is important?

the guest feels in good hands from the very first moment, which prevents the problem to blow out of proportions
the guest understands that we take his complaint seriously, which helps immediately decrease the stress
the guests understand that we appreciate the feedback, which makes them feel good ( not bad) about voicing their complaint
it helps us identify a problem area and provide better service in the future
turns an angry guest into a satisfied and loyal guest

What you will learn in this lesson:

The facts & figures about complaints.
To be aware as a waiter, what do guests expect from us
To distinguish between different types of complaints and to identify opportunities presented because criticism has been voiced.
The steps of handling complaints
Some tactics and strategies
To boost your self-confidence in order to be able to remain calm when you receive a complaint and handle it with authority.
To increase guests’ satisfaction.

What is a complaint?

By definition, a complaint is written or verbal displeasure of something wrong or not satisfactory! The guests express their dissatisfaction about the gap between expectations and the quality of the received service.

To handle complaints professionally, we need to put ourselves in the position of the guest. For example, when a guest agrees to pay for a product or service, he bases his decision on expectations.

The guest point of view:

What did the guest expect?
What have we promised the guests?
Was our promise misleading and, therefore, the guest’s expectations too high?

The formula for success:

PROMISE = EXPECTATIONS = EXPERIENCE

Reasons for complaints:

Expectations not fulfilled
Kitchen or Waiters mistakes
Technical problem
The behavior of an employee
Service problem – long waiting time
Unusual complaints – lousy weather
Cultural differences and language barrier
Problems beyond our control
Preexisting problem – the guest was upset from another department before arriving at the restaurant

Types of guests in the restaurant

Shy guest – usually very quiet and rarely willing to voice a complaint.
Suspicious – usually grumblers or moaners who try in a funny, friendly kind of way to put everything under doubt
Know it all – mostly arrogant people who find fault in everything and honestly believe they could do it better
Ruthless guest – people who can scream, verbally, and even physically abuse a service person
Bluffer – people who try to take advantage of any situation to receive something for free
Indecisive – it takes them forever to make a decision on anything
Friendly – they talk a lot, ask a lot of questions, and expect the same amount of attention from the service person
Hasty – they are always in a hurry and never have time or patience for anything
Normal guests – don’t we love them!

Facts and Data (how to handle guests complaints)

90% OF INTERNET USERS READ PRODUCT REVIEWS
80% FEEL THEMSELVES APPEASED AS SOON AS THEY RECEIVE AN ANSWER OF THEIR FEEDBACK
60% PREFER TO BOOK A HOTEL/RESTAURANT THAT RESPONDS TO REVIEWS
40% CHANGE THEIR MIND ABOUT BUYING A PRODUCT AFTER READING THE PRODUCT REVIEW
88% OF PEOPLE SAY THAT REVIEWS INFLUENCE THEIR PURCHASING DECISION

Opportunities presented by the complaint

Improve our problem-solving skills
earn the guest’s loyalty
We learn what the guests really want
Satisfy the guest by taking care of the problem
Highlights any shortcomings in our service
Strengthening guest relationships through a fast, appropriate, and fair arrangement

What does the guest want when he has something to complain

The guest wants someone to talk to – first and foremost!

who takes the time needed – take time and listen to the guest carefully
who takes his problem seriously – show genuine concern about the problem the guest has
by whom he feels understood – nick with your head and say “I understand” to show the guests that you get his point of view
with a competent appearance – your pose, your facial expression, your clothes all talk to the guest their own way
who helps him to solve his problem – tell the guest that there is a solution to the problem and you know it ( unless you really don’t)
who has decision-making skills and can implement his decisions successfully – take swift action and explain to the guests what those actions include and how long it is going to take to solve the problem

SUCCESSFUL HANDLING OF COMPLAINTS DEPENDS ON:

having a specific set of skills having
vast knowledge about the job and the rules of the establishment
the willingness to take ownership of the complaint
persuasive presentation of the available solution

Complaints should be handled by the employees who are as close as possible to the place where it is all happening. They know best about what and how this happened.

Did you know that (how to handle guests complaints):

ONLY 5% OF THE GUESTS COMPLAIN DIRECTLY TO THE PERSON WHO IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM OR IS AWARE OF IT. 95 OF 100 UNSATISFIED GUESTS DON’T GIVE US A CHANCE TO FIND OUT THE REASON FOR THEIR DISSATISFACTION. THEY DON’T SAY ANYTHING, JUST LEAVE AND NEVER COME BACK
A SINGLE UNHAPPY GUEST TELLS 8-11 PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE AND CAUSES MULTIPLE NEGATIVE EFFECTS AND LOSS OF IMAGE
ON AVERAGE HAPPY GUEST TELLS ONLY 3-4 PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR POSITIVE EXPERIENCE – THEREFORE, THE MULTIPLE POSITIVE EFFECT IS 3 TIMES SMALLER
90 % ARE WILLING TO COME BACK AFTER EFFECTIVE HANDLING OF COMPLAINT. THEY ALSO TELL 3-14 PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR POSITIVE EXPERIENCES. CREATES LOYALTY EFFECT! THAT LOYALTY GENERATED BY EFFECTIVE HANDLING OF COMPLAINTS PLAYS A LARGE ROLE IN FORMING A REPEAT CUSTOMER
ACQUIRING A NEW GUEST CAN COST FIVE TIMES MORE THAN RETAINING AN EXISTING GUEST

STEPS OF HANDLING COMPLAINTS

TAKE THE GUESTS TO A QUIET, PLEASANT PLACE ( WHEN POSSIBLE), LISTEN CAREFULLY, AND ASK (OPEN-ENDED) QUESTIONS
SHOW EMPATHY “I UNDERSTAND, ” TRY TO CREATE A CONNECTION TO THE GUEST
APPROPRIATE BODY LANGUAGE ( SHOW THE GUEST THAT YOU ARE LISTENING TO HIM, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH “A NOD” TAKE NOTES ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES (IF POSSIBLE AND APPROPRIATE)
FIND OUT THE “REAL” REASONS FOR THE COMPLAINT
TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE COMPLAINT – YOU ARE THE ONE WHO SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THE GUEST’S PROBLEM. DON’T TRANSFER THE GUEST TO A COLLEAGUE
OFFER THE BEST POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS (NOT ONE BUT SEVERAL)
SUGGEST TO THE GUEST ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS (IF THE FIRST FEW ARE REJECTED)
FOCUS ON THE SOLUTION, NOT THE PROBLEM
WHEN THE GUEST CHOOSES A SOLUTION, TELL THE THEM WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
EXPLAIN THE STEPS OF IMPLEMENTING
SPECIFY THE TIME YOU NEED FOR IMPLEMENTATION
GIVE THE GUEST FEEDBACK AFTER TAKING STEPS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM
APOLOGIZE TO THE GUEST FOR THE INCONVENIENCE WE HAVE CAUSED THEM
THANK THE GUEST FOR THEIR FEEDBACK AND EXPLAIN THAT THIS IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN IMPROVE AND PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE IN THE FUTURE
ADVICE YOUR SUPERVISOR ABOUT THE SITUATION OR FOLLOW THE INTERNAL COMPANY RULES

WHEN WE ARE HANDLING COMPLAINTS CORRECTLY

we increase our guest satisfaction and develop active customer retention
reduce costs
boost the positive image of the resort
we identify improvement potential in our organization
involve the guest in problem-solving – guests appreciate the opportunity to choose the ways their problem is solved
we enjoy our job
makes us feel better about ourselves

TIPS & TRICKS (how to handle guests complaints)

Keep your anger under control; breath deeply.
Confident appearance
Gain time by asking questions
Repeat important arguments (points) in a quiet tone
Pay attention to your facial expressions and body language.
Keep eye contact
If the guest is abusive, ask him kindly to moderate his tone.
In extreme cases, go at a distance (create space) and ask your supervisor for help (ask your supervisor to come and manage the situation)

WHAT TO AVOID WHILE HANDLING COMPLAINTS

Do not lay the blame on another person or department
Do not feel personally attacked, don’t feel angry
Do not critic the guest
Do not look around while the guest is talking
Do not become arrogant (know-it-all, seen it all type) even if the guest is
Never say: Other guests have already told us
Do not grumble at your colleagues
Do not use excuses and flimsy reasons
Do not disrespect the guest in any way
Avoid the use of words like: unfortunately, anyway, but, to be honest, actually, I can’t promise, would, might, somehow

EXCELLENT BEHAVIOR TIPS

We treat the guest professionally all the time and give him our undivided attention
We exceed his expectations by uncovering his needs through a personal conversation
We go the extra mile, we are proactive, and we aim to impress the guest with our individual service
We greet each guest with an authentic smile, we call the guest by name, let him talk, and finish the conversation
We use positive language, avoid abbreviations and service jargon. We limit ourselves to harmless topics.
We use a friendly and precise formulation and restrict ourselves to the most essential contents
We use appropriate body language during communication with the guest. Straight upright posture and constant eye contact
We read and understand the body language of our guests and act accordingly
We consider different cultures, and we stay open to all cultures and their habits

At the end of the day, if you know how to handle guests complaints you won’t experience the stress such an interaction usually brings. You will have the confidence and the tools, to resolve the situation and this will bring only joy into your heart!

Find a top job for yourself at The Waiters Network .

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To become a excellent waiter

Dealing with difficult clients in Fine Dining as a Waitress

Allergies and Prevention

Serving Beverages in Fine Dining

How to get your first waiting job! Tips and Tricks

Correct Fine Dining Seating Skills

Fine Dining Reservations Service and Other Telephone Procedures

Privacy overview.

How To Handle Hotel Guest Complaints: A Complete Guide

Welcome to the ultimate guide on how to handle hotel guest complaints. Here we dive into the art of turning disgruntled customers into delighted guests. Handling guest issues can be hard to do, no matter how long you’ve been in the hotel business or how new you are. But fear not! In this comprehensive article, we unveil the secrets to transforming complaints into opportunities for exceptional service.

From mastering the art of active listening to employing creative problem-solving techniques, we’ve got you covered. Get ready to be a complaint-handling rock star and watch the name of your hotel soar to new heights! Prepare to become a complaint-conquering superstar and watch your hotel’s reputation soar to new heights!

In the highly competitive hotel industry, guest satisfaction plays a crucial role in the success of any hotel. One key aspect of ensuring guest satisfaction is effectively handling guest complaints. A single negative experience can tarnish a hotel’s reputation and lead to a loss of business. Therefore, it is essential for hotel professionals to be well-equipped in handling guest complaints. This comprehensive guide will provide you with the knowledge and strategies to handle guest complaints in a way that not only resolves the issues but also leaves guests feeling valued and satisfied.

Importance Of Listening And Empathizing Hotel Guest Complaints

Customer Satisfaction: By listening to and empathizing with hotel guest complaints, hotel staff can address their concerns promptly and effectively. This leads to higher customer satisfaction, as guests feel heard and valued. Satisfied customers are more likely to become repeat customers and recommend the hotel to others, contributing to positive word-of-mouth marketing.
Retaining Customers: Addressing guest complaints promptly and effectively can help retain customers. When guests feel their concerns are acknowledged and resolved, they are more likely to continue patronizing the hotel in the future. On the other hand, if complaints are ignored or mishandled, it can lead to customer dissatisfaction, negative reviews, and a loss of business.
Reputation Management: In the age of online reviews and social media, guest complaints can quickly spread and impact the hotel’s reputation. By listening attentively to complaints, addressing them sincerely, and taking necessary actions to rectify the issues, hotels can demonstrate their commitment to customer service and improve their reputation. Conversely, ignoring or dismissing complaints can result in negative reviews and damage to the hotel’s image.

Most Common Guest Complaints In Hotels And Tips For Hoteliers To Address Them

1. room-related issues:.

When guests encounter room-related issues, such as cleanliness problems or malfunctioning appliances, it can significantly impact their comfort and overall experience. Imagine arriving at a hotel after a long day of travel, only to find dirty sheets or a broken air conditioner. These issues can create a sense of frustration and disappointment, as guests expect a clean and well-maintained space to relax and rejuvenate. It is essential for hotels to prioritize regular maintenance, thorough cleaning protocols, and swift resolution of any room-related issues to ensure guests have a pleasant and comfortable stay.

Tips For Hoteliers To Address Room-related Issues:

Conduct regular inspections to ensure cleanliness and proper functioning of appliances.
Empower housekeeping staff to be attentive to details and promptly address any cleanliness issues.
Invest in comfortable beds and quality room amenities to enhance guest comfort.
Establish a system for guests to easily report any room-related concerns and ensure swift resolution.

Check out our blog post 10 Best Ways To Optimise Hotel Housekeeping Operations , this will help you to reduce room-related issues.

2. Service-related Problems:

The quality of service plays a crucial role in shaping a guest’s perception of a hotel. Picture a scenario where a guest encounters slow response times or encounters rude and unhelpful staff members. In such situations, guests may feel ignored, undervalued, or even disrespected. This can lead to a decline in guest satisfaction and loyalty. To prevent service-related complaints, hotels should focus on training their staff to deliver prompt, courteous, and personalized service. Active listening, problem-solving skills, and a genuine desire to exceed guest expectations are essential for providing exceptional service.

Tips For Hoteliers To Address Service-related Problems:

Provide comprehensive training to staff members on delivering exceptional customer service.
Foster a culture of empathy and attentiveness among all employees.
Encourage staff to actively listen to guest needs and respond promptly and courteously.
Implement systems for monitoring and addressing service-related complaints in real-time.

3. Facilities and Amenities Concerns:

Hotel facilities and amenities are an integral part of the guest experience. Guests expect well-maintained facilities such as swimming pools, gyms, spas, and reliable Wi-Fi connectivity. However, if these amenities are not up to par or not available as promised, it can be highly disappointing. Imagine looking forward to a refreshing swim in the pool, only to find it dirty or closed for maintenance. Such concerns can impact the overall satisfaction of guests and their ability to fully enjoy their stay. Hotels should ensure regular maintenance, timely repairs, and clear communication about the availability and conditions of their facilities and amenities to minimize these types of complaints.

Tips For Hoteliers To Address Facilities and Amenities Concerns:

Regularly maintain and inspect hotel facilities and amenities to ensure they are in optimal condition.
Clearly communicate any temporary closures or restrictions in advance to manage guest expectations.
Invest in reliable and high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the property.
Seek guest feedback to identify areas of improvement and prioritize upgrades or renovations accordingly.

4. Billing and Payment Disputes:

Billing and payment issues can create frustration and mistrust between guests and hotels. Inaccurate invoices, unauthorized charges, or disagreements over pricing and additional fees can lead to a negative guest experience. Picture a guest receiving a final bill that includes charges for services they never used or discrepancies in the pricing. To avoid billing and payment disputes, hotels should prioritize transparency, accuracy, and open communication throughout the guest’s stay. Clear explanations of charges, itemized invoices, and promptly addressing any billing concerns can help build trust and ensure a smooth check-out process.

Tips For Hoteliers To Address Billing and Payment Disputes:

Ensure transparent and accurate billing processes, clearly outlining charges and fees.
Train front desk staff to review and explain bills to guests, addressing any questions or discrepancies.
Have a clear and accessible procedure for guests to dispute or inquire about billing concerns.
Follow up promptly and transparently on any billing issues to rectify errors and maintain trust.

5. Cleanliness and Maintenance Issues:

Cleanliness is a fundamental expectation for guests in any hotel. Dirty common areas, unkept bathrooms, or unpleasant odors can create an immediate negative impression. Guests want to feel confident that their surroundings are clean and hygienic. Imagine walking into a hotel lobby with stained carpets or encountering a foul smell in the corridors. These cleanliness and maintenance issues can make guests question the overall quality and attention to detail within the hotel. Maintaining high cleanliness standards, regular inspections, and promptly addressing maintenance issues are essential for creating a positive environment and meeting guest expectations.

Tips For Hoteliers To Address Cleanliness and Maintenance Issues:

Implement rigorous cleanliness protocols and quality control measures throughout the hotel.
Conduct regular inspections to identify and address maintenance issues promptly.
Encourage guests to provide feedback on cleanliness and maintenance, and take their comments seriously.
Communicate to guests the importance of cleanliness and maintenance, assuring them of the hotel’s commitment to a pleasant and hygienic environment.

6. Food and Dining Concerns:

The dining experience plays a significant role in guest satisfaction. Guests may have high expectations for the quality, taste, and presentation of the food served in the hotel’s restaurant or through room service. Long wait times, incorrect orders, limited menu options, or issues with food allergies or dietary restrictions can significantly impact a guest’s overall experience. Imagine ordering room service and receiving cold, unappetizing food after a lengthy wait. Food-related complaints can be particularly sensitive as they directly impact guests’ enjoyment and can lead to negative word-of-mouth. Hotels should focus on maintaining consistent food quality, efficient service, accommodating dietary needs, and promptly addressing any dining-related concerns to ensure a positive culinary experience for guests.

Tips For Hoteliers To Address Food and Dining Concerns:

Prioritize the quality and variety of food offerings, catering to different dietary needs and preferences.
Train kitchen and restaurant staff to deliver prompt and attentive service.
Encourage guests to provide feedback on their dining experiences and take their suggestions into account.
Establish clear communication channels for guests to inquire about menu options, place orders, or address any specific dietary requirements.

7. Safety and Security Matters:

Guests prioritize their safety and security when choosing a hotel. Any issues related to safety can generate serious concerns and complaints. Malfunctioning locks, inadequate lighting, or a lack of surveillance cameras may make guests feel vulnerable and uneasy. Additionally, unauthorized access to rooms, theft, or the presence of suspicious individuals on the premises can seriously undermine a guest’s sense of security. Hotels must invest in robust security measures, conduct regular safety audits, and ensure that guests feel protected and well-informed about the safety protocols in place.

Tips For Hoteliers To Address Safety and Security Matters:

Invest in robust security measures, such as surveillance cameras and secure locking systems.
Regularly review and update safety protocols, communicating them clearly to guests.
Ensure that staff members are trained to respond promptly and appropriately to any safety concerns.
Implement measures to enhance guest awareness of safety features and emergency procedures.

8. Communication and Information Problems:

Clear and effective communication is crucial in ensuring a smooth and enjoyable guest experience. Miscommunication regarding check-in/check-out times, hotel policies, available services, or local attractions can lead to confusion and frustration. Imagine guests being provided with incorrect information about transportation options or not being properly informed about hotel policies. Inadequate communication or misinformation can result in guest dissatisfaction and a negative impression of the hotel’s customer service. Hotels should prioritize clear and consistent communication with guests, provide accurate and up-to-date information, and ensure that staff members are trained to answer guest inquiries promptly and accurately.

Tips For Hoteliers To Address Communication and Information Problems:

Provide clear and concise information to guests about hotel policies, services, and local attractions.
Train staff members to effectively communicate with guests, answering questions accurately and promptly.
Display information prominently in common areas and guest rooms, including contact details for guest inquiries.
Leverage technology to provide up-to-date information, such as digital signage or mobile apps.

By addressing these common hotel guest complaints effectively and proactively, hoteliers can enhance the overall guest experience, foster guest loyalty, and maintain a positive reputation in the industry.

“The psychology behind guest complaints is often rooted in their emotional nature. When guests have a negative experience or encounter an issue, they might feel frustrated, disappointed, or inconvenienced. These emotions can amplify the significance of the complaint and make it more challenging for guests to let go of their concerns. Empathy is essential in handling guest complaints because it acknowledges and validates the guests’ emotions. By demonstrating empathy, hotel staff can make guests feel understood and valued, helping to diffuse the emotional intensity of the situation. Empathy involves actively listening to guests, expressing genuine understanding and concern, and showing a willingness to address their concerns. Understanding the emotional nature of complaints also highlights the importance of effective communication and conflict-resolution skills. By providing a platform for guests to express their concerns, hotels can better understand the root causes of the issues and work towards finding appropriate solutions. This approach helps rebuild trust, manage expectations, and ultimately enhance the overall guest experience.”

Developing a Guest Complaint Management Strategy

A successful guest complaint management strategy begins with well-trained staff. Hotel employees should be equipped with active listening techniques to fully understand the guest’s concerns. Empathy and understanding play a vital role in building rapport and addressing the emotional aspect of complaints. Conflict resolution skills are also crucial for de-escalating tense situations. In addition to training the staff, hotels should establish clear procedures and guidelines for handling complaints. This ensures consistency in the complaint resolution process and empowers employees to handle complaints effectively. Prompt response to guest complaints is of utmost importance, as it shows the hotel’s commitment to addressing the issue promptly. Utilizing technology, such as complaint management software, can streamline the process and ensure efficient handling of guest complaints.

8 Steps To Handle Hotel Guest Complaints

1. Receiving the Complaint

Creating a welcoming and non-confrontational environment for guests to voice their concerns is the first step in handling guest complaints. Train the staff to greet guests with a warm and empathetic attitude, making them feel comfortable sharing their complaints. When receiving a complaint, active listening is crucial. Hotel professionals should listen attentively and encourage guests to express their concerns fully. Asking clarifying questions helps to gather all necessary details and ensures a complete understanding of the complaint.

2. Assessing the Complaint

Once the complaint is received, it is essential to assess its severity and urgency. Categorize the complaint based on its impact on the guest experience and the hotel’s reputation. Identifying the root cause of the issue is crucial in addressing the complaint effectively. It may involve examining different aspects, such as room condition, staff behaviour, or service quality. Gathering additional evidence or information, such as photographs or witness statements, can provide a comprehensive understanding of the situation.

3. Offering Immediate Solutions

For minor issues, it is often possible to provide immediate solutions on the spot. Empower front-line staff to make decisions and offer compensation within their authority. This could include room upgrades, complimentary services, or discounts on future bookings. Effective communication is key during this step. Clearly communicate the proposed solution to the guest, explaining how it addresses their concerns. This demonstrates the hotel’s commitment to resolving the issue promptly and satisfying the guest.

4. Escalating Serious Complaints

Certain complaints may require further investigation or the involvement of higher management. Identify such complaints and promptly notify the relevant departments or supervisors. Maintain regular communication with the guest to keep them informed about the progress of their complaint. Transparency and timely updates help in managing guest expectations and showcase the hotel’s dedication to resolving serious issues.

5. Resolving the Complaint

To resolve a guest complaint effectively, collaboration between different departments is often necessary. Work closely with the appropriate departments, such as housekeeping, maintenance, or food and beverage, to address the complaint. Take necessary actions to rectify the issue and prevent similar occurrences in the future. Document the steps taken to ensure accountability and future reference. After resolving the complaint, follow up with the guest to ensure their satisfaction and make them feel valued.

6. Turning Complaints into Opportunities

Viewing guest complaints as opportunities for improvement is crucial. Analyze the patterns or recurring issues from the complaints received. Identify areas where the hotel can make changes or improvements to prevent similar complaints in the future. This proactive approach showcases the hotel’s commitment to continually enhancing the guest experience.

7. Empowering Staff

Empowering the hotel staff to handle guest complaints effectively is essential. Provide them with the necessary authority to make decisions and offer appropriate compensation. Encourage a culture of ownership and accountability, where employees take responsibility for resolving guest complaints. Recognize and reward exceptional complaint handling to motivate and inspire the staff.

8. Implementing Guest Feedback Systems

Implementing guest feedback systems, such as surveys or comment cards, allows hotels to collect valuable insights from guests. Actively seek feedback and suggestions from guests about their experience. This not only helps in addressing complaints but also provides an opportunity to identify areas for improvement. Analyze the feedback received and make necessary changes to enhance the guest experience.

How To Maintain Guest Satisfaction?

Here are the top 5 strategies for maintaining guest satisfaction:

1. Post-Complaint Follow-Up:

Contact guests after resolving their complaints to ensure their continued satisfaction.
Express genuine concern and inquire if they are still experiencing any issues or have any additional feedback.
Thank them for bringing the matter to the hotel’s attention and assure them that their satisfaction is a top priority.
This follow-up demonstrates the hotel’s commitment to addressing concerns and maintaining guest satisfaction.

2. Guest Feedback Collection:

Actively seek feedback from guests through surveys, comment cards, or online review platforms.
Make the feedback process convenient and easily accessible, such as providing survey links via email or having comment cards available at key touchpoints.
Ask specific questions about various aspects of their stay, including their perception of the resolution of any previous complaints.
Encourage guests to provide suggestions for improvement and ideas to enhance their experience.

3. Implementing Changes and Improvements:

Analyze the feedback received and identify patterns or common areas for improvement.
Use guest feedback as a valuable source of insight to identify potential issues before they escalate into complaints.
Prioritize and implement changes based on guest feedback, focusing on areas that are consistently mentioned or that have a significant impact on guest satisfaction.
Communicate the changes made to guests, demonstrating that their feedback has been taken seriously and acted upon.

4. Continuous Staff Training and Development:

Provide ongoing training programs for all staff members, focusing on effective communication, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution skills.
Conduct regular workshops or refresher courses to reinforce the importance of guest satisfaction and the proper handling of complaints.
Train staff to actively listen to guests, show empathy, and proactively seek resolutions to their concerns.
Encourage staff members to share their own insights and experiences in dealing with guest complaints, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

5. Recognition and Rewards:

Recognize and reward staff members who consistently handle guest complaints effectively and receive positive feedback.
Implement an incentive or recognition program to motivate and encourage staff to provide exceptional service during complaint resolution.
Celebrate success stories where guests’ complaints were resolved to their satisfaction, highlighting the positive outcomes achieved through effective communication and problem-solving.
By acknowledging and rewarding exceptional performance, staff members will be further motivated to maintain high standards of guest satisfaction.

By implementing these strategies, hotels can demonstrate their commitment to guest satisfaction, continuously improve their services, and build long-lasting relationships with their guests.

Conclusion – Hotel Guest Complaints

Effectively handling hotel guest complaints is essential for maintaining guest satisfaction and preserving a hotel’s reputation. By following the step-by-step guide provided in this complete guide, hotel professionals can confidently address guest complaints in a way that not only resolves the issues but also leaves guests feeling valued and satisfied. Remember, each complaint is an opportunity to exceed guest expectations and turn a negative experience into a positive one. Embrace a guest-centric approach, prioritize prompt and efficient complaint resolution, and continuously strive for excellence in guest satisfaction. By implementing these strategies, hotels can build a strong reputation for exceptional service and create loyal, satisfied guests.

Mastering Guest Problem Resolution – Important Tips for Hotels

Effective problem resolution not only ensures guest satisfaction but also plays a pivotal role in maintaining the reputation of the hotel. From minor inconveniences to more significant issues, how hotel staff handles these situations can make or break a guest’s experience.

In this article, let us discuss the best practices for hotel staff to master the art of guest problem resolution.

Active Listening is Key: When a guest presents a problem, the first step is to listen attentively. Allow the guest to express their concerns fully without interruptions, showing that you value their input.
Stay Calm and Composed: Maintain a professional and composed demeanor, even when faced with irate guests. Your calmness can help diffuse tense situations and reassure guests that their concerns will be addressed.
Empathy and Understanding: Put yourself in the guest’s shoes. Understand their perspective, emotions, and expectations. Empathy goes a long way in building rapport and trust.
Apologize Sincerely: A sincere apology can go a long way in resolving issues. Even if the hotel isn’t directly at fault, apologizing for the guest’s inconvenience shows empathy and a commitment to solving the problem.
Resolve Issues Quickly: Timeliness is crucial. Act promptly to address the issue, whether it’s a faulty appliance, a room concern, or a service complaint. The faster the resolution, the more impressed the guest will be.
Offer Solutions, Not Excuses: Instead of making excuses or assigning blame, focus on finding practical solutions to the problem. Guests want their issues resolved, not a list of reasons for the problem.
Ask for Feedback: Encourage guests to share their thoughts on how the issue can be resolved to their satisfaction. Their input can help tailor the solution to their preferences.
Follow Up: After resolving the problem, follow up with the guest to ensure they are satisfied with the solution. This extra step shows your commitment to their well-being.
Document Guest Feedback: Keep records of guest complaints and resolutions. This data can help identify recurring issues and improve the hotel’s overall operations.
Empower Frontline Staff: Give your frontline staff the authority to make decisions and resolve issues promptly, reducing the need for escalation.
Learn from Guest Feedback: Analyze guest feedback and complaints to identify patterns or areas where improvements are needed. Use this information to enhance the guest experience.
Prevent Recurrence: After resolving a problem, take steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again. This proactive approach demonstrates a commitment to quality service.
Offer Compensation Wisely: When appropriate, consider offering compensation, such as a complimentary meal or room upgrade. However, use this option judiciously, as it can be costly if overused.
Stay Informed: Keep your staff informed about the latest policies, services, and amenities. Well-informed staff can better assist guests and provide accurate information.
Continual Training: Implement ongoing training programs for staff to enhance their problem-solving and communication skills. Regular training helps staff stay sharp and adaptable.
Use Technology Wisely: Leverage technology for quicker problem resolution. For example, a mobile app that allows guests to report issues or request services can expedite solutions.
Delegate Responsibilities: Ensure that different departments within the hotel are responsible for specific types of issues. This streamlines the resolution process and avoids confusion.
Stay Professional in Written Communication: When communicating with guests through written channels like email or messages, maintain a professional tone and use clear, concise language.
Maintain Guest Privacy: Be mindful of guest privacy when discussing issues or solutions. Avoid sharing personal or confidential information.
Seek Supervisor Input When Necessary: For complex or high-stakes situations, it’s acceptable to seek guidance from a supervisor or manager. Don’t hesitate to escalate when appropriate.

Departing Words

Mastering guest problem resolution is a critical skill for hotel staff. It not only enhances guest satisfaction but also upholds the reputation of the hotel in the competitive hospitality industry.

Effective problem resolution isn’t just about fixing the issue – it is more about leaving a lasting positive impression on your guests and ensuring their loyalty in the long run. Through continual training and a commitment to guest-centric service, hotels can elevate their guest problem resolution processes and stand out in the competitive landscape.

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How do hotels deal with problems? Common issues and what guests can expect in exchange

When a hotel stay doesn't meet your expectations, you may be inclined to slam the property on social media or write a bad review online, but that shouldn't be your first move.

"The guest has a lot of power compared to before," and hotels know that, according to Mehmet Erdem, an associate professor of hospitality at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. "When things go wrong , it's in the best interest of (the) hotel to take care of the issue, so it doesn't grow."

Hotel staff can often address common issues much quicker in person, but if they don't, there may be reasons for that. From what to expect when hotel hiccups arise to how to avoid problems in the first place, here's what you should know before your next hotel stay:

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What should hotel guests know before check-in?

Just because a hotel has a certain brand in its name, it doesn't mean that's the company that runs it.

"Is it an affiliated hotel? is it an independent hotel? is it an owner-operated hotel?" Erdem said. "It can be owned by somebody, branded by, say, a big name and managed by a second-tier management company."

All those layers can impact the level of empowerment given to employees in handling issues.

"Depending on who's managing what, even if the person wants to do something for you, their hands may be tied," Erdem said. "There's limitations because they can not go above corporate rules." And those rules vary by company, unlike airlines, which are all required to offer certain types of compensation by the Department of Transportation when flights are disrupted.

What are the expectations of a hotel?

Guests should expect a reasonable standard of care from any hotel, according to Erdem. "It should be a safe environment. It should be clean. It should be reasonably comfortable."

When issues arise, he said, "The hotelier's responsibility is to make sure that they acknowledge the problem and address it as best as they can."

Higher-end hotels may have more flexibility. Ritz-Carlton, for example, empowers staff with up to $2,000 in discretionary spending per guest, per issue to make things right or simply delight. Other hotels may offer discounted stays, parking fee waivers, or complimentary drinks at the hotel bar.

"It depends on how big the problem is and also what it is that the employee and the manager can do," Erdem said, referring back to the hotel owner-management structures.

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What happens if a hotel loses your reservation?

In this day and age, Erdem says it's pretty rare for hotels to lose your reservation .

Unlike years ago when reservations were relayed by fax or recorded in hand-written reservation logs, he said, "Everything's on the cloud ... Electronic reservation systems have a lot of checks and balances in place" as well as paper trails, like daily occupancy reports, for backup.

If, for some reason, the hotel isn't able to access your reservation, be prepared to show a record of it, like a confirmation number or booking receipt. Travelers who book through third parties may receive multiple confirmation numbers and should make sure to have the one for the hotel. Better yet, Erdem recommends calling the hotel before your arrival to confirm the reservation and jot down the name of the person you spoke with on the phone.

What do you do if the hotel is fully booked and there are no rooms available?

"The hotel is almost always booking more rooms than they have," Erdem said. "This is (a) common practice ... because almost always there's going to be people (who) cancel."

When more people may show up than expected and there aren't enough rooms, guests are traditionally walked to other hotels, meaning the hotel finds them somewhere else to stay.

It shouldn't matter whether guests booked directly through the hotel or travel agency like Expedia or Priceline.

"Ethically speaking, they have to treat everybody equally because they're paying guests," Erdem said. "I worked front desk years ago, and you don't care how the person booked. You just want to take care of the guest."

'They should've helped me': Booking through third parties like Expedia leaves some travelers stranded

What is walking in a hotel?

When a hotel is overbooked, it's common practice for the hotel to help impacted guests find a comparable place to stay nearby. This is known as walking.

Erdem said, traditionally, that also includes paying for transportation to the new hotel, but with today's apps and mobile notifications, "You can notify the guests even when they're at the airport waiting for their ride and say, 'Hey, sorry, but we will not be able to honor your reservations. We had to move you to this hotel. Please go there.' They may still call and complain, but at least you're saving them the time."

Hotels may also offer other types of compensation like a discount on a future stay, loyalty points, or food credit.

"You do something to show that, yes, we messed up, but we are taking care of you," Erdem said.

What to do if the hotel room is not ready?

Hotels aren't required to offer anything when a room isn't ready on time, but they often will.

"Front desk agents are trained to offer some perks in such situations and by default should offer food credit or an upgrade, depending on the level of empowerment they are afforded with," Erdem said.

He said it's reasonable for guests to request that upgrade or at the very least, a waiver of resort or parking fees. Another option is points with the hotel's loyalty program.

What can I do if my hotel room is not clean?

If for some reason, you are accidentally given a room upon check-in that is not clean, you should let the front desk know right away, and they can either move you to another room or if none is available, send up housekeeping and, hopefully, accommodate you while you wait.

It shouldn't take too long, but Erdem notes hotels have struggled to staff housekeeping since before the pandemic.

"Anybody who's done housekeeping (knows) – I have – it is back-breaking work," he said, adding that it's only gotten harder with fewer workers. "People are working overtime. They are not getting the breaks that they used to ... Have some compassion toward the hotel employees."

What is an acceptable noise level for a hotel?

The answer is subjective. "What is loud for you may not be loud for me," Erdem said. The way hotels handle noise complaints also varies by situation.

If guests in nearby rooms are blaring music or holding a party, you can report them to the hotel staff, who will usually send up security to de-escalate the situation.

If the air conditioner in your room is too loud, hotel engineers can check it out. "However, because of the mechanics of how they set up the HVAC system, that may be normal noise, so when it turns on, you're going to hear it," Erdem said. "You can report it and next time they do renovations, looking at guest complaints, they could be able to do something about it," but they may not be able to adjust the volume during your stay.

In the same vein, if a room is just poorly insulated, hotels can't remedy that right away, but they may be able to offer you some sort of compensation as a courtesy.

If you're just a light sleeper, you may want to pack earplugs just in case.

Nonrefundable hotel rooms: How to get a refund

How do I dispute a wrong charge?

"Word to the wise, before you leave the property, check your folio and make sure everything is OK," Erdem said. "If it's not, take care of it right now."

Call down from your room or stop by the front desk before you leave the hotel. If you wait until you get home, you may need to go back and forth with the accounting department to get the charge taken care of, eating up your time.

The Golden Rule

When issues arise, Erdem says, "I always tell my students, you're on a stage, right? So when it comes to the stage, regardless of what's going on in your personal life, you're going to put on that smile, make eye contact, acknowledge the person."

But he has advice for guests too.

"We also have to remember that they're human beings," he said. "Of course, the guests have the right to expect what they've been promised, but be courteous ... Treat people the way you want to get treated and understand that the hotel industry is doing everything it can with a lot (fewer) resources."

The most common hotel guest complaints and how to resolve them

Eva Lacalle

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Hotel complaints are without a doubt one of the worst things a hotelier has to deal with, but having a solid plan of action in place as to how to resolve common complaints will make this pain point less painful.

The complaints you receive will vary from property to property and according to your hotel’s dimensions, location, and clientele. But one thing’s for sure: the best strategy for handling complaints is to be prepared and to make sure your staff are too.

In this article we’ll look at the five most common hotel guest complaints and strategies to resolve them.

Table of contents

Five most common hotel guest complaints

Working in a client-facing position has its ups and downs, but by knowing what the common guest grievances are and how to deal with them, you can be prepared for the worst.

1. Wi-Fi access

Wi-Fi has come to be a necessity for our everyday lives, and it’s no wonder this is a source of dissatisfaction should it not work. Guests nowadays have a laptop, smartphone and/or a tablet, all of which they most likely will want to connect to Wi-Fi.

It’s important that your structure is prepared to offer the bandwidth that’s required to handle all this connectivity.

Some ways to avoid and anticipate this trouble is to have a fast Wi-Fi service with the bandwidth and range to serve the maximum occupancy of your hotel.

Another way to resolve this problem is to make sure that your staff are trained ahead of time about how to connect to the Wi-Fi , so that should a frustrated guest not be able to connect to the internet, your team has the know-how to troubleshoot.

Make sure the password is clearly listed in the room and in the hotel lobby. After all, a connected guest is happier, easier to upsell and remarket to, and likely to be more satisfied with the service you're providing.

Most people go to a hotel to disconnect and relax, or in the case of business guests, they want a place to quietly take care of their emails and unwind from a busy day.

This is why noise can be a very common grievance. In some cases your staff won’t be able to solve the problem, especially if your hotel is in the city and there’s a lot of outside noise, but in other cases, there are some solutions.

Think about moving your guests further up, where ground level noise will be less of a nuisance. Depending on the kind of hotel and your target audience, you may think about having a no kids policy.

If you’re in the early stages of buying or remodeling your hotel, make sure to think about insulation – it’s key to provide the most relaxing and ideal stay.

3. Room and water temperature

Depending on the system you use to heat or cool rooms and the water temperature, you might run into complaints about the water temperature (and/or pressure) as well as

the temperature of the room. Since guests’ comfort is so important, it’s key to have the ability to help them reach the ideal temperature.

Think about having instructions about how to cool and heat the room written out inside the room, so guests can troubleshoot on their own. You may consider integrating some smart room features that allow guests to set room temperature before they arrive.

Finally, make sure your team knows how to handle the thermostat and what to do or who to call should the water temperature not reach the ideal setting.

4. Cleanliness

Cleanliness is one of the most important elements of providing a top hotel stay. When this is not up to par, it’s only normal that a guest would complain. First, make sure to read this article about optimizing housekeeping to ensure that your staff is working in the best and most efficient way possible.

Once you’ve ensured your human resources are covered and working to perfection, it will be a lot easier to avoid these mishaps.

However, should a cleanliness complaint be made, be sure to offer your profuse apologies. You may think about offering them another room or an upgrade. If the guests don’t want to move, then consider offering a free drink or a treatment at your spa while they wait to get the room re-cleaned.

5. General service

Your service should always be top-notch, but as your staff are human beings, it’s only normal that mistakes can be made. Common complaints could be about a rude staff member, long wait times, unavailable room features or amenities, or the room in general.

If a guest complains about a rude staff member, apologize and then look further into the issue to prevent it from happening in the future, and make sure the guest knows this is what you will do.

It’s also important to explain in as much detail as possible the features and amenities you offer, with really clear pictures to manage expectations.

To mitigate long wait times and to help improve the quality of service, definitely consider using virtual concierge services, where guests can check in and check out online, and directly send their requests straight to your reception team from their phones.

Best strategies to resolve guest complaints in hotels

Now that you understand the most common guest complaints and have some pointers on how to resolve them more easily, it’s important to keep in mind some of the best general strategies for handling these common grievances.

For starters, be apologetic and receptive to what they are saying. Smiling often helps to diffuse the situation, but make sure your team use common sense. If the guest is clearly very upset or frustrated, smiling could make things worse. Be sympathetic without being patronizing.

Compassion is key, so recognize that your client is unhappy and offer a solution to make them happier, which in extreme cases could be a complimentary night’s stay or an upgrade.

When a problem arises, be quick to respond using all the resources you need to solve the problem. After the problem has been solved, be sure to follow up and see how the guest is doing, and if there is anything you can do to make their stay better.

In a business where the customer is always right should be the motto, it’s important to surpass expectations instead of falling short. This is why you should be prepared to handle the most common hotel complaints so that your staff is trained and not caught off guard should problems arise.

Employing the tips and strategies we have listed in this article, you are sure to offer a stellar service and keep guest retention rates high even if little problems arise.

Eva has over a decade of international experience in marketing, communication, events and digital marketing. When she's not at work, she's probably surfing, dancing, or exploring the world.

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Getting to Yes – How to overcome a guest problem

The sea was too blue.
The ice cream was too cold.
A central London hotel had no ocean view.

Fortunately, the majority of guest complaints are based on grievances that are fixable, thereby giving the hotel a chance to prove it cares. A common barrier when trying to solve a guest problem is attitude. Both the guest and hotel staff typically approach the issue in terms of a win/lose negotiation when it should be done on the basis of a win/win outcome.

Overcoming this tendency was the focus of the book ‘ Getting to Yes, Negotiating an agreement without giving in ’ by Roger Fisher and William Ury. Although written over 30 years ago, the book is still a best seller. To enable negotiators to reach an acceptable outcome, the authors suggest four basic principles that are as valuable when handling complaints as they are to negotiating a complex sales contract.

1. The guest is not the problem

The first recommendation is to separate the person from the problem. In other words, the guest’s feelings shouldn’t dictate the outcome. A complaining guest is often emotionally charged, a situation that can quickly affect both parties. Faced with recriminations and aggressive language, it can be hard for staff to remain professional and objective.

As with any negotiation, it is important to get the facts or, more importantly, the guest’s perception of them. The guest should be allowed to voice their complaint without interruption or pre-judgement. By giving them complete attention while they are speaking, hotel staff convey interest and sympathy. If the guest believes that their complaint is being taken seriously they will normally calm down, even if initially irate.

Hotel staff should be prepared to apologize but without necessarily accepting blame. Something has made the guest unhappy which is a reason to be genuinely sorry.

2. What do they really want?

The second principle in the book is to focus on the real issue and not the guest’s demands. Although communication is an essential part of negotiation, a common obstacle when dealing with complaints is that guests are not adept at complaining and hotel staff are often no better at listening. Both may start with preconceived ideas and from a position they want to defend. The guest may demand a refund when the hotel has a policy of no refunds. On the face of it, this is a no-win situation with a bad review just waiting to be posted.

Listening is an art. It is easy to hear the words but not everyone is willing or able to discern the underlying message. Some grievances are obvious, such as dirty sheets or excessive noise, but others may hide an unspoken issue. The guest may gripe about weak Wi-Fi when the real pain is being unable to Skype a loved one.

A skilled listener will ask questions to make sure they fully understand what’s at the heart of the complaint and then restate it to check they have grasped the situation correctly.

3. Creative outcomes

The third principle in the book concerns finding inventive options for mutual gain. An acceptable solution can only be found when the true reason for the complaint has been established. Without this knowledge the hotel risks relying on a standard but unproductive response.

When the background is understood, staff can put themselves in the guest’s shoes to consider what they would expect to happen if the roles were reversed. Displaying empathy shows a willingness to look for a solution which addresses that particular guest’s needs. This can increase the guest’s readiness to accept an alternative to the one they had originally wanted.

In the hospitality industry there are many options available that do not require financial compensation. Upgrading a guest to an otherwise empty superior room or providing an extended checkout time may be all that is required. Small gestures can be remarkably effective.

Some guests may start by demanding the earth but most will know there is a limit to what compensation can be offered and are realistic in their expectations. They may even just be satisfied their voice has been heard. Through sensible compromise an outcome can be found that is agreeable to both parties.

Once a solution has been agreed, it needs to be restated to make sure the guest accepts and understands it. Whatever action has been decided, someone at the hotel must ensure it is carried out and in the expected time frame.

4. Acceptable costs

The fourth principle in the book revolves around using objective criteria. The ultimate goal is to have a satisfied guest. However, hotel management will have benchmarks about what is an acceptable cost and how far they are prepared to go to achieve that goal. Staff should be empowered by knowing what they can and cannot do when confronted by a guest with a complaint. This will reduce the chances of a subjective response.

There are certain complaints that are common to hotels around the world. Noise, unpleasant carpet smells and Wi-Fi charges are among those most frequently mentioned in surveys. A bland statement such as “this is hotel policy” about Wi-Fi charges will only antagonize an unhappy guest. Why is it hotel policy? More importantly, when, where and by how much can it be bent? Objective criteria are often a balance between flexibility and business realities.

It is equally important to know how to handle the rare cases where no mutually acceptable solution can be found. This is called BATNA in the book – the ‘best alternative to a negotiated agreement’.

Getting to yes

Customer service is the foundation of the hospitality industry. Courtesy, cleanliness and providing value for money are among the cornerstones of success. But things can go wrong and complaints are inevitable.

By incorporating the principled negotiation techniques described above into a hotel’s complaint handling process, it is likely that a win/win outcome can be achieved. There is little doubt that getting an upset guest to ‘yes’ requires skill and patience but with online reviews driving booking decisions as never before, having a satisfied guest makes the journey worthwhile.

About the author

Arianna O’Dell is the founder of Airlink Marketing , a digital agency that helps hotels, restaurants and travel destinations attract and retain clientele.

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How to Improve Problem-Solving Aspect of Guest Relations in Hotels

In the world of hospitality, guest relations is a crucial aspect that can make or break the reputation of a hotel. The way hotels handle guest concerns and solve problems can greatly impact guest satisfaction and loyalty. In this article, we will delve into the importance of effective problem-solving in guest relations and explore strategies for improving this aspect in hotels. So, grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

Understanding the Importance of Effective Problem-Solving in Guest Relations

The impact of problem-solving on guest satisfaction and loyalty.

Picture this: you’re a guest at a hotel, and you encounter an issue during your stay. How the hotel addresses and resolves that issue can have a lasting impact on your overall experience. Effective problem-solving not only solves the immediate problem but also demonstrates the hotel’s commitment to guest satisfaction.

When a guest encounters a problem, such as a malfunctioning air conditioning unit or a noisy neighbor, it can quickly dampen their enthusiasm for their stay. However, when the hotel staff promptly acknowledges and addresses the issue, it shows the guest that their comfort and happiness are a top priority. This level of attentiveness can turn a negative experience into a positive one, leaving the guest feeling valued and appreciated.

Guest satisfaction and loyalty go hand in hand. A study conducted by renowned hospitality expert John Di Julius found that resolving a guest’s problem effectively can actually increase their loyalty to the hotel by up to 22%. This means that by investing in effective problem-solving strategies, hotels can not only retain their current guests but also attract new ones through positive word-of-mouth.
Problem-solving is an opportunity for hotels to turn a negative experience into a positive one. By actively addressing and resolving guest issues, hotels can create memorable moments of exceptional service that guests will rave about. For example, if a guest encounters a problem with their room, the hotel can go above and beyond by offering a complimentary upgrade or a personalized apology gift. These gestures not only solve the problem at hand but also leave a lasting impression on the guest.
Word-of-mouth is a powerful tool in the hospitality industry. When guests have positive experiences with problem-solving, they are more likely to share their stories with others, ultimately boosting the hotel’s reputation and attracting more guests. Imagine a guest who had a minor issue during their stay, but the hotel staff handled it with grace and efficiency. This guest is likely to share their positive experience with friends, family, and even on online review platforms, showcasing the hotel’s commitment to exceptional guest service.

The role of problem-solving in maintaining a positive hotel reputation

A hotel’s reputation is its lifeline. In the age of online reviews and social media, a single negative experience can quickly snowball into a public relations nightmare. Effective problem-solving plays a crucial role in protecting and enhancing a hotel’s reputation.

Hotels operate in an industry where unexpected issues can arise at any moment. Renowned hotel management guru, Horst Schulze, once said, “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” With this in mind, it’s vital for hotels to be prepared with a robust problem-solving process. By having well-trained staff who can handle various situations with professionalism and efficiency, hotels can minimize the impact of problems on their reputation.

When hotels demonstrate their ability to effectively handle and resolve problems, guests are more likely to perceive them as professional and trustworthy establishments. A hotel that promptly addresses and resolves issues shows that they value their guests’ feedback and are committed to providing a positive experience. This level of trust can lead to increased guest satisfaction and loyalty.
According to a study by hospitality expert Tony Alessandra, guests who had their problems resolved in a timely and satisfactory manner were more likely to leave positive reviews and recommend the hotel to others. Positive reviews not only contribute to a hotel’s reputation but also serve as valuable marketing tools. Potential guests often rely on online reviews to make informed decisions, and when they see a hotel with a track record of effective problem-solving, they are more likely to choose that establishment for their stay.

Identifying Common Challenges in Guest Relations

Common issues faced by hotel guests and their impact on guest experience.

Every hotel encounters unique challenges in guest relations. By identifying these common issues and understanding their impact on the guest experience, hotels can proactively address them and provide exceptional service.

One common challenge is room cleanliness . Imagine checking into a hotel room only to discover unclean surfaces and unpleasant odors. Such issues not only detract from the overall guest experience but also raise concerns about the hotel’s hygiene standards.

Ensuring room cleanliness is a crucial aspect of guest relations. Hotels must maintain high standards of cleanliness to provide a comfortable and pleasant environment for their guests. This includes regular deep cleaning of rooms, thorough inspection processes, and the use of quality cleaning products. Additionally, training housekeeping staff to pay attention to detail and promptly address any cleanliness issues can greatly enhance the guest experience.

Another challenge is inefficient check-in and check-out processes . Long queues and delays at the front desk can leave guests frustrated and create a negative first and last impression. These issues often stem from operational inefficiencies or inadequate staff training.

Efficient check-in and check-out processes are essential for a smooth guest experience. Hotels can invest in technology solutions, such as self-check-in kiosks or mobile check-in options, to streamline the process and reduce wait times. Properly training front desk staff on efficient procedures and customer service skills can also make a significant difference. By addressing these challenges, hotels can create a positive first and last impression for their guests.

The importance of proactive problem identification in guest relations

Problems not identified are problems left unresolved. By actively seeking out and identifying potential issues, hotels can nip them in the bud before they escalate and negatively impact the guest experience. An ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure!

Beloved hotelier and author, Chip Conley, once said, “Pay attention to what you don’t pay attention to.” This statement emphasizes the importance of being proactive in problem-solving by addressing potential issues before they become noticeable to guests.

Through regular staff training and engagement, hotels can cultivate a culture of problem identification. Encouraging employees to voice their concerns and suggestions can help uncover hidden challenges and improve overall guest relations.

Implementing feedback mechanisms, such as guest surveys, can provide valuable insights into areas that require improvement. By actively seeking and acting upon guest feedback, hotels can stay ahead of potential problems and continuously enhance their offerings.

Furthermore, hotels can also utilize technology to identify and address potential challenges. Analyzing data from guest reviews and social media platforms can provide valuable insights into recurring issues and allow hotels to take proactive measures to resolve them.

Overall, proactive problem identification is crucial in guest relations. By being vigilant and addressing challenges before they impact the guest experience, hotels can ensure that their guests have a memorable and enjoyable stay.

Developing a Problem-Solving Mindset in Hotel Staff

The benefits of a problem-solving mindset in guest relations.

A problem-solving mindset is like a superpower for hotel staff. When employees approach guest concerns with a proactive and solution-oriented mindset, they can delight guests and elevate the overall guest experience.

Having a problem-solving mindset allows hotel staff to view guest issues as opportunities rather than obstacles. Instead of simply resolving the problem at hand, they can go above and beyond to create exceptional moments of service.

For example, imagine a guest who arrives at the hotel and realizes they left their phone charger at home. A staff member with a problem-solving mindset would not only find a charger for the guest but also anticipate their needs by offering a variety of chargers to choose from, ensuring the guest’s stay is comfortable and stress-free.

Furthermore, a problem-solving mindset enables hotel staff to handle unexpected situations with ease. Whether it’s a power outage, a plumbing issue, or a last-minute change in reservations, employees who approach these challenges with a problem-solving mindset can quickly find solutions, minimizing any inconvenience for guests.

Strategies for fostering a problem-solving culture among hotel staff

Creating a problem-solving culture starts from the top and trickles down to every level of the organization. By implementing the following strategies, hotels can foster a mindset of continuous improvement and empower their staff to excel in guest relations.

Lead by example. Hotel leaders should demonstrate a problem-solving approach in their own interactions with guests and employees.
Provide ongoing training and support. Equip staff with the necessary tools, knowledge, and skills to effectively handle guest concerns and solve problems.
Celebrate success stories. Recognize and reward employees who demonstrate exceptional problem-solving skills and go the extra mile for guests.
Encourage collaboration. Foster an environment where staff members can brainstorm and collaborate to find innovative solutions to guest issues.
Empower employees. Give staff the autonomy to make decisions and take ownership of guest concerns, allowing them to exercise their problem-solving skills.
Implement feedback loops. Regularly gather feedback from guests and employees to identify areas for improvement and implement changes accordingly.

By implementing these strategies, hotels can create a culture where problem-solving becomes second nature to their staff. This not only enhances the guest experience but also improves employee satisfaction and retention.

Ultimately, a problem-solving mindset is a valuable asset for any hotel. It enables staff to turn challenges into opportunities, exceed guest expectations, and create memorable experiences that keep guests coming back. By fostering a problem-solving culture, hotels can set themselves apart in a competitive industry and establish a reputation for exceptional service.

Effective Communication Techniques for Problem-Solving

Active listening and empathy: key communication skills for resolving guest issues.

Effective problem-solving hinges on effective communication. By actively listening to guest concerns and showing empathy, hotel staff can create a positive and productive atmosphere that builds rapport with guests.

Active listening involves giving the guest your full attention, maintaining eye contact, and seeking clarification when necessary. This helps ensure that you fully understand the issue at hand and can provide an appropriate solution.

The art of clear and concise communication in guest relations

In the fast-paced environment of guest relations, clear and concise communication is critical. When explaining solutions or next steps to guests, it’s important to use language that is easily understandable and free from jargon.

Renowned hotel consultant and author, Micah Solomon, emphasizes the importance of simplicity in communication. By distilling complex concepts into clear and concise messages, hotels can ensure that guests fully comprehend the resolution and are satisfied with the outcome.

Implementing a Structured Problem-Solving Process

Steps for effectively addressing guest complaints and concerns.

In order to efficiently and effectively solve problems, hotels should implement a structured problem-solving process. This process should guide staff in handling guest complaints and concerns in a consistent and systematic manner.

Listen and empathize: Give the guest your undivided attention, listen actively, and show empathy towards their concerns.
Apologize: Take ownership of the issue and sincerely apologize to the guest, even if you are not directly responsible for the problem.
Resolve: Take immediate action to address the issue and find a solution that meets the guest’s expectations or exceeds them whenever possible.
Document and follow-up: Document the details of the guest’s concern, the action taken to resolve it, and any follow-up required. Follow up with the guest to ensure their satisfaction and to show that their concerns were taken seriously.

The importance of documentation and follow-up in problem-solving

Documentation and follow-up are often overlooked aspects of problem-solving, yet they are crucial for ensuring consistent and continuous improvement in guest relations.

Hospitality expert, Daniel Goleman, highlights the significance of emotional intelligence in problem-solving and emphasizes the importance of documenting guest concerns. By documenting the details of each issue, hotels can spot patterns, identify recurring problems, and take proactive measures to prevent them in the future.

Follow-up is equally important and sends a powerful message to guests. It shows that the hotel genuinely cares about their experience and is committed to resolving any outstanding issues.

In conclusion, the art of problem-solving in guest relations requires a proactive mindset, effective communication, and a structured process. By understanding the importance of problem-solving and implementing strategies to improve this aspect, hotels can enhance guest satisfaction, loyalty, and their overall reputation. So, let’s strive to create unforgettable experiences for our guests by mastering the art of problem-solving!

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6 Ways to Resolve Guest Issues

According to David Chang , TV personality and owner of the award-winning Momofuku in New York City: “The livelihood of the restaurant is dependent upon getting the word out.” One of the most important factors to a restaurant’s success is its reputation, and the biggest threats to its reputation are guest issues. The White House Office of Consumer Affairs reported that unsatisfied customers will tell an average of 9-15 people about their negative experience.

In the world of online reviews , a negative impression can be even more far-reaching. Here are a few ways to resolve guest issues with grace.

Believe the Complaint

There’s an old saying that goes, “the customer is always right.” Although it’s an easy one to remember, it’s a difficult one to practice. Many times, a restaurant staff acts like a family, and no one wants to believe that someone in their family truly did something wrong. Other times, everyone wants to point the finger at someone else to alleviate the blame. The first step in resolving guest issues is to act accountable and believe that they happened in the first place. Questioning a claim’s authenticity or pointing the blame in another direction will only further escalate the situation.

Thank the Guest

Thank the guest for pointing out an issue that you would not have known without their help. Mike Lester, president of The Melting Pot, firmly believes a complaint is a “gift.” These “gifts” can act as training points for staff moving forward.

Apologize Sincerely

Try to make the experience right, but be careful not to come off as if you are trying to buy their goodwill. Extend your apologies and make a logical offer to the customer. If the complaint is about a specific item, comp the item if you can. If the complaint happens online, send a direct message and offer a discount or free voucher to get them back in the door, and the next time around, be sure to make a better second impression.

Face Your Negative Reviews Head-On

According to Yelp, 97 percent of those reading online reviews take a business’s response into account when trying to decide whether or not to patronize a business. For guest complaints that take place in cyberspace, your reaction will leave a lasting impression, not just for that particular customer but for many other potential guests down the line. Businesses have the option to respond to reviews publicly or via direct message. By responding promptly and publicly, your business can show that it is transparent and willing to accept constructive criticism. Just remember the three points above when doing so.

Consistency is Key

Moving forward, providing a consistent experience can prevent customer issues in the first place. Thomas Keller, the winner of Culinary Institute of America’s Chef of the Year for his Napa Valley restaurant, French Laundry, stresses this point. An experience that makes the customer happy every time can be achieved with a thorough restaurant training program for cooks and waitstaff. Beyond that, the best restaurants never stop training their employees and learning from their mistakes.

Learn from the Best and the Worst

Jill Tyler, owner of Michelin-rated Tail Up Goat in DC, advises: “There are hundreds of restaurants that are successful. There are thousands of restaurants that have failed. Study both and always keep learning.” Devise a restaurant training program that not only focuses on what not to do, but also incorporates advice based on how other restaurants have succeeded. By incorporating negative examples with the positive, well-trained staff will know what to avoid and what to embrace, creating a workplace culture that should minimize guest issues in the future.

Synergy Sync’s online training program allows you to train your staff on important customer service topics. They will be able to know the best practices to implement during common guest service issues. With our remote learning program, your servers and managers are able to learn from anywhere, any time. Please contact us for a free virtual tour of our affordable e-Learning training solution.

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How to Handle Hotel guest complaints and Deal With Angry Guests

Being in the hotel industry, you must know that delivering the best services is prominent. While it’s always good to have happy and satisfied guests, the challenging task begins when you come across angry guests and don’t know how to handle the hotel guest complaints? Or, how to deal with those unhappy guests and ensure that your reputation is upheld?

You see, a sole instance of poor service might lead your guests to switch to your competitors. Treating every customer with the utmost respect and listening to their complaint helps in serving them a better guest experience.

Practising such not only leaves the guests happy and fascinated but also doubles the chances of them visiting you again.

As a hotelier, you are in the business of managing all sorts of guests. You may find some of the guests being calm in their manner to express their displeasure whereas others may just start yelling at you while addressing the complaint.

However, in the worst case, they may add a complaint on social media platforms, thus hampering the hotel’s reputation. So handling such customers can be a complex job. And in this blog, I am discussing just that.

You’ll get a clear picture of how to cope with such situations, ensuring that your guests are happy and your hotel’s reputation is on the top level.

Table of Content

What are the most common guest complaints in hotels.

Poor Customer Service
Dirty Rooms
Low Food Quality
Unfriendly Staff
Malfunctioned or Damaged Electronics
Shortage of Complimentary Stuff

How to Deal with Angry Guests and Their Complaints in a Hotel?

Care to listen
Avoid arguments, remain calm, and be polite
Make sure your body language is not aggressive
Empathize and acknowledge their frustrations
Never pass on the guest to another department
Comfort with best offerings
Avoid taking things personally
Come up with a conclusion
Thank the guest for bringing the matter to light
Take feedback

Before we tell you how to deal with the angry guests at your property, you need to know and analyze the various types of guest complaints in hotels.

1. Poor Customer Service

One of the most commonly heard complaints is – poor or unsatisfying customer service. Be it a front-desk manager, pool staff, housekeeping, restaurant staff or your gym trainers; it’s crucial that your entire hotel team is well-trained and polite. They must be able to understand and listen to what the customer feels.

Additionally, room-service is such a facility that people don’t come across daily and so when they do, it’s obvious for them to expect nothing but excellence!

A customer is 4 times more likely to defect to a competitor if the problem is service-related than price or product-related. HospitalityNet

Sometimes, there might be nothing but a simple water supply issue in their bathroom. In such a situation, the very first thing to do is to apologize to the guest and get it fixed on an urgent basis.

When any such service complaints arise, whether they are genuine or not, take them sincerely. All you need to do is examine the complaints with proper attention and understanding.

Ensure your guests that it won’t occur again and do everything you can to take care of the problem. Doing this might keep the angry hotel guest away from leaving a bad online review.

We also have a guide that will help you respond to customer reviews the most appropriate way. Do check it out.

2. Dirty Rooms

May it be a low-end hotel or a 5-star luxury property, there’s always a possibility of rooms being dirty or unclean due to the late checkout of previous guests or early check-ins or can be any other such reasons too.

Chances are that the bathroom is not clean, or the washbasin may be dirty, hairs in the tub or on the bed. At times even the housekeeping fails to collect the things left in the closet by previous guests. These can be some of the things that might bother your hotel guests.

Here you’d think that – What to do to avoid this?

It’s simple. The front-desk manager must request the immediate room guests to wait for a while till the room gets clean. Also, train your housekeeping staff to present the best when it comes to hygiene.

3. Low Food Quality

With the millenials ruling over the present generation, it has become mandatory to focus on the best-served taste and have them experience the local taste they might have heard before and now, way more excited to grasp.

We all know that food plays a vital role in our day-to-day life.

When you can yell at your mother or wife for spoiling your Sunday mood, think of the guests who came on vacation or for a Business meeting?

Address your chef if there are any complaints for the food. In the case of food served cold, confront your staff about the delay in serving the food to the guests.

4. Foul Smell

Surely, your guests didn’t walk in for your foul-smelling hotel rooms. You can avoid such small complaints by performing cleaning tasks twice a day and maybe more whenever required. Ask your housekeeping to follow up with the guests once they get the room cleaned.

Moreover, your staff can always ask them to share how they feel about the rendered services and if there’s anything you can help them with.

Train your hotel housekeeping staff and the cleaning department in such a manner where these types of situations don’t even take place. Here, hygiene must top the priority list when it comes to dealing with humans.

5. Unfriendly Staff

Though how well operated your hotel is, there’s this common thing the guest experiences with your staff. More often it happens that the guests think your hotel staff is carrying an unfriendly attitude or finds him/her rude while communicating.

It may be true, but even when it isn’t the case, ask your staff to be very polite and calm while dealing with rude hotel guests.

The best thing you can do when such issues arise is to listen kindly to customers’ complaints and examine the same. Just in case if the guest gets angrier and starts yelling about sharing such an experience on social media, offer them some discount or free access to any of the amenities. Make sure you do your best not to let your guests put a negative review on social media.

6. Malfunctioned or Damaged Electronics

Well, who doesn’t make use of gadgets or electronics when on a vacation? We often have this belief that people don’t make use of gadgets during their holidays but it doesn’t stand true in most cases. Your guests may use the television during their leisure time in the room.

So when any of the guests raise a complaint about the damage or the malfunctioning of gadgets, it is the whole and sole responsibility of the hotel management to get the electronics repaired or replaced in time.

Get the malfunctioned electronics replaced with the working ones and serve the guests with the best.

7. Shortage of Complimentary Stuff

You as a hotelier must surely be aware of the complimentary items offered to the guests during the stay.

Having your guests complain about the shortage or absence of complementary items like shampoo, soaps, towels, hangers; can leave a bad impression on the customer’s minds.

You need to know that this won’t score well, keeping your hotel’s reputation in mind. To avoid such, make sure you provide the best complimentary stuff to the guests for their use.

Running a hotel business is quite challenging for a variety of reasons. There are tons of moving pieces and no matter how accurately you operate, it looks like there’s always going to be a customer mourning about something. Recheck this list to make sure you know all the common hotel complaints.

Now, after knowing what are the common complaints the hotel guest makes during the stay, your next immediate task is to know;

This was all about common guest complaints and how to cope with them.

However, there are times when things don’t work out the way we want them to. Guests turn furious and make it hard for the hotel staff to manage.

So, what to do in those cases? How to handle hotel guest complaints? How to deal with such infuriated guests? Various other questions hit our minds.

In this section, I am explaining all of it. The points mentioned below are supremely important when you are dealing with rude hotel guests. So, read on and find it out for yourself.

1. Apologize

The hotel industry is prone to guest issues and complaints way more frequently. For any sort of complaint, make an apology in the first place. Regardless of the complaint being genuine or fake, what concerns is your response to the same.

Departing your guests with a delighting smile on their faces is all you work for. Even your customers feel appreciated when they’re taken care of, instead of the management just treating them with no special attention or treatment.

2. Care to listen

Handling angry guests in a hotel isn’t easy, but it isn’t any rocket science either.

So, when you’re in conversation with an angry hotel guest, make sure you’re keeping all ears. Do not cut them off when they are talking. Listen to them carefully.

Your response to unhappy guests, especially to the guests within your hotel premises will be marked by many other spectators. It is a must job for you to always react friendly and treat your guests well.

The primary thing the guests expect from you is to be polite and have kind manners. As discussed earlier, dealing with happy and satisfied guests is easy, but when it comes to an angry hotel guest; then all you need to do is listen calmly.

This will not only help you understand what their actual concern is but also drive a sense in them that the other party is professional enough.

Also, train and encourage your hotel staff to keep calm when guests raise a complaint.

Not to mention, start talking once they are done, putting all their arguments. Let your guest explain the situation first and once he/she is done with their part, review the entire fact and try to fix it at the very moment.

This sounds like a very basic thing, but not everyone holds such type of communication etiquette which is prominent in a sensitive industry like hospitality.

3. Avoid arguments, remain calm, and be polit e

In many cases, complaints may take a longer time to resolve. The only thing you can do in such cases is avoid arguing.

Arguing can result in nothing but the worst situations.

KEEP YOUR CALM, even if their arguments and complaints seem unfair. Note that no matter what, THEY ARE STILL YOUR GUESTS.

Treat them with respect and give them their space and time to voice their concerns. Because, if you act rude, it’s the hotel that will get a bad name, which is not at all good for business.

Further, this etiquette is not only for the frontdesk but also for the entire hotel staff. Because you never know when things go out of track in which department.

4. Make sure your body language is not aggressive

It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.

This might seem clichéd, but it’s true to the highest level possible.

Body language is another factor that matters A LOT; especially when you’re handling an angry guest in the hotel.

There are certain personality traits that every hotel staff must possess. They must take serious efforts in keeping their body language in check.

There are times when an infuriated guest goes all out, and you may not even realise that it’s triggering and manipulating your body language. And guess what, if your body language is aggressive it might make your guest feel angrier.

So, if you don’t want to hurt your business, learn how to manage your silent signals; even during escalated situations.

5. Empathize and acknowledge their frustrations

Okay, they have talked enough and you have listened enough.

What’s next?

Do something about it.

First things first, when you’re dealing with rude guests, you have to empathize with them and acknowledge their anger. You have to make them feel that their concern is valid and you’re absolutely not ignoring it.

6. Never pass on the guest to another department

I am sure most of you have experienced it.

You got a complaint and try to reach out to the frontdesk. But when you explain to them, they say that it’s not their task and you should rather reach out to some other department.

THIS IS A RED FLAG. PERIOD.

This is the last thing want to do when a guest tries to voice their concern. Also, it is a trigger and makes the situation even worse.

What you can do is, even if it’s not your job, you can help the guest reach out to the concerned person.

How about saying, “Sorry for the inconvenience, Sir/Madam. Let me call the concerned person and help you sort this out.” Or, you can rather take it upon yourself and say, “Thank you for sharing your concern, I will get it in contact with the concerned department and resolve this ASAP.”

The bottom line is that you have to be able to offer a quick solution .

This not only makes your guests feel better but also turns the entire infuriated situation the other way around. If you successfully resolve their query, they are sure to appreciate you for your proactive measures.

I have experienced it first-hand. So, you can take it from me.

7. Comfort with best offerings

At times the situations go worse and all you’re left with is nothing. If there’s no way to fix the guest’s complaint, then comforting them with the best offerings is all you can do. Go through your hotel policies and see what best you can offer to unhappy guests.

You can serve them with a discount on the total bill, offer great value deals on their next stay or add one FREE night stay at the hotel with the current stay depending on your hotel policy.

Consider talking to them and knowing their expectations from you. You don’t need to fulfil the same if not possible, but just taking an opinion can make a difference.

8. Avoid taking things personally

I used to work with an airline call centre. I would take more than 100 calls a day and I can’t even tell what sort of things I had to hear. The words people used when they were angry were just, hands down, abusive.

I didn’t enjoy working there at all. However, there’s one thing I learn – stay grounded and patient and NOT TO TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY.

This might sound silly to many, but it’s a legit fact. If a guest creates a scene, starts yelling or complaining, it’s mostly they are not happy with the hotel; that the services rendered are not up to the mark.

Here, the management at the hotel must train the staff members not to take the complaints and guest queries personally and to fix the query or the complaint and update the management on the same ASAP.

9. Come up with a conclusion

Once you’ve heard the guests’ complaints, ask them which solution fits the best in any case. After you’ve asked them for their choice of a solution, go and check with your hotel’s management if it is appropriate and whether it fits the hotel policies.

Also, don’t forget to keep the guest updated about the same and make sure they don’t feel ignored or unattended. There can be many solutions to one problem, all you need to do is pick up the best one and resolve the same for your guest.

10. Follow up

As per the previous discussion, once done checking with the hotel’s management; inform the guest about the ultimate solution you can offer. Do keep in mind that your purpose doesn’t change here.

Don’t let your customers think that you’re ordering them. Instead, communicate in a manner where they feel that their suggestions are equally important to you. In the end, just make sure you roll over a bad situation to a good and profitable one.

11. Thank the guest for bringing the matter to light

Remember, acknowledgement? This is also a part of that aspect.

Do say ‘thank you for bringing the matter to light’ when a guest raises a query.

There are times when hotels don’t get to know about certain issues until and unless they are pointed out by guests. So, when you come across such instances, do let the guest know that it will be fixed on a priority basis.

12. Take feedback

Next up, do ask your guest if there’s anything they would like to let you know.

You have to make your guests feel that their experience is your priority and you’re willing to take all the required measures to ensure just that.

So, make it a habit of taking feedback even after offering a solution to the angry hotel guest.

In Conclusion

You know, your hotel guests expect the best-in-class customer service and a great hotel stay experience.

But, inevitably, there will always be at least one unhappy or angry guest. And hotels must accept it.

While many hotels keep wondering how to handle angry guests in hotels, many go out of their way to manage things. This is exactly what separates them from their competitors.

Hotel complaints and angry guests are going to be there. But you can always cope with them if you know the ground rules.

This blog tried to give a clear view of all the common complaints in hotels and how you can deal with rude guests.

Not to mention, the points mentioned above are legitimate enough to help you overcome such troubles. Just make sure, you are encouraging your employees and treating them well.

Smart hoteliers are using this for revenue optimization! Are you?

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Conflict Resolution Strategies for the Hospitality Industry

Can you feel it? It’s that feeling of excitement and positivity as everyone breathes a sigh of relief from the last year and a half and we all start to slowly return back to normal. It’s an especially exciting time for the hospitality industry as people return to dining out, traveling, hitting the spa, and all those things that help them enjoy life to the fullest.

COVID-19 has caused the hospitality industry to rethink the guest experience and while guests’ safety and experience is a top priority in the decision-making process, these changes can be challenging for all to understand and accept.

The good news is, with a little preparation and training, you and your team can be well-equipped to tackle the conflicts that may arise from concerned guests.

Prepare for how customers may respond to change:

Not everyone will be happy about the changes.
Guests will question policies and procedures.
Some customers may be confrontational.

But, before the above makes you anxious about getting back to business, don’t worry. The best way to prepare for potential customer conflicts is to predict what that conflict might be and prepare your team to respond. Communication is very important, the earlier and clearer your messaging can be, the more likely you are to have happy guests who are accepting of your changes.

Through your website, social media, email blasts, and other forms of outward-bound communication, inform your guests ahead of time of any changes to policy that may affect their visit. The messages should be informative, positive, and consistent throughout your entire organization. Anything they read about your policy should be the same message they hear from your team. Mixed messages can lead to confusion and difficult guest interactions.

Providing a guest experience is much like a performance, so remember to prepare and practice. Prepare for any potential conflicts by reviewing your new policies as a team and anticipate any questions and concerns that may arise. Then, build a “toolbox” of ideas and solutions you can offer guests who are struggling with the changes. Finally, practice answering questions and addressing concerns with your team. Think role play! Don’t forget to also evaluate the solutions you’ve prepared and look to continue to improve how you address and solve customer issues.

Now you’re ready to face your “audience,” your guests! Be on the lookout for signs that someone is upset. There might be nonverbal cues like a clenched fist or jaw, puffed-out chest, or heightened animation. You may also witness the more obvious signs like a raised voice or foul language.

De-escalate the situation professionally and consistently by introducing yourself, remaining calm, listening closely (allow them the time they need to get it all off their chest), and reassuring your guest that you understand their concern and will work to find a solution that is acceptable to all parties. In fact, it can be helpful to repeat the problem back to them to make sure you do understand their issue correctly.

Always be professional, courteous, maintain eye contact, and most importantly DO NOT lower your interactions to that of your frustrated guest. Set the example for them. If you are calm, they should start to calm down.

Remember that toolbox of solutions we suggested you prepare? Here’s when you use it. Explain the thought behind the changes and that they are designed to provide a safe and enjoyable experience. If your guest is still upset, offer an alternative solution that will help make them more comfortable and give them space and time to decide. The goal should be to agree on an acceptable solution.

Sometimes the conflict can be between guests. When this happens, monitor the situation and intervene if you feel they won’t solve the situation on their own. Remember to stay neutral and essentially follow all the steps outlined above.

Despite your best efforts, there will be times that not all situations can be resolved. Just be sure you can fully explain the rules and regulations and offer solutions to the extent of your empowerment, but not beyond. And, if the situation becomes escalated, or you feel you can’t reach a solution, make sure to clearly articulate your company’s policy on refusing service and refunds if required. Most importantly, trust your instincts and be mindful of your personal boundaries and safety.

Download SBDC's Summer 2021 Hospitality Conflict Resolution Checklist

SBDC Feature

NH Small Business Development Center

Most common problems during a guest’s stay and ways to solve them

BNB STORIES #13

Welcome back to another episode of the BnB stories!

Last time, we talked about how you can attract millennials to your property. But this time, we’re exploring a completely different topic. This time, we’ll be discussing the top guest complaints that usually result in bad reviews. We’ll also examine ways to handle them like a pro and avoid the dreaded bad review.

Unsurprisingly, the most common problems guests face aren’t hard to predict, solve, or avoid in the future. Let’s take a look at some of the top guest complaints and problems, as well as the ways you can resolve them as a host.

Your Place Wasn’t as Clean As Expected.

This problem is definitely one of the most common ones guests face during their stays, and it could negatively affect your reviews. All guests expect the property they’re booking to be squeaky clean—at least as clean as a nice hotel room. Think about it this way: Nothing will deter your guests more than a dead bug, a dusty kitchen, or unclean sheets.

So how can you solve this problem?

Make sure you thoroughly clean your property before and after your guests’ stays.
Cleaning doesn’t just involve vacuuming and taking out the trash. It’s about doing a thorough deep-clean of the entire property. This cleaning should include areas that are often overlooked, including inside kitchen cabinets, under beds, and on ceilings.
Make sure there are no bad odors in your house at any time.
Ensure the cleanliness of your kitchen.
Make sure the beds are clean.
Since toilets are one of the ways guests most frequently evaluate the cleanliness of your property, keep them sparkling clean.
Hire a housekeeper who regularly cleans the space. You should be able to openly communicate with this person. Always inform him or her about new bookings, and make sure he or she is aligned with your check-in and checkout timing.
Always have a backup housekeeper, just in case.

The WiFi wasn’t working.

Today, no one appreciates going to a property without WiFi, especially if yours is targeted at millennials . Even worse, you may claim that your property has Wifi, but it isn’t working.

To avoid complaints, make sure you:

Leave instructions about how to use the WiFi in a place where your guests will see them.
Promptly respond if any issues arise during their stay.

One of the amenities wasn’t operating properly.

If your heat or any of your appliances stop working, your guests will probably want them to instantly get fixed. After all, if you advertise that you have a Nespresso machine, washer/dryer, or massage chair, you should make sure they’re all working properly.

If something breaks, do one of the following:

Find a way to resolve the issue yourself.
Call a technician to fix the problem as soon as possible.
Apologize if you’re unable to resolve the issue immediately.

In general, make sure that the property is properly maintained, and regularly check your appliances. If any amenity is no longer available, don’t forget to update your rental description on all platforms (if you sync rentals to different channels).

The Property Doesn’t Look Like the Pictures You Posted.

One of the biggest complaints guests have that often results in bad reviews is that the pictures don’t accurately reflect the location.

So always make sure that you add as many high-quality pictures as possible, that accurately reflect the way the property currently looks.

Don’t oversell your property by using words and descriptions that are too ”optimistic.”

There Were Problems with Safety.

A lot of guests complain about the general safety of the property or the surrounding area. While there isn’t anything you could do about the surrounding area (except try not to depict it as safe if it isn’t), you could take your property to the next level to avoid any safety problems or concerns.

Some of these examples include:

Adding cameras at the entrance.
Ensuring a proper lock mechanism.
Keeping the inside of your residence safe
Provide proper security mechanisms, such as thumbprint locks.

The Key Exchange Process Wasn’t Organized.

Don’t ask your guests to travel all the way across town to pick up the keys. Here are problems guests have faced regarding keys:

The keys weren’t there.
They couldn’t access the keys.
They couldn’t open the lockbox.
The owner was late dropping off the keys.
The access code didn’t work.

Ensure an easy way to meet your guests, or find a safe place to hide your keys. These measures will prevent any complaints from guests who don’t have the patience to wait for their keys.

The Check-in and Check-out Times Were Confusing.

A lot of guest experiences are ruined by miscommunications about check-in and checkout times. Make sure you’re very clear about exactly what these time ranges are. The earlier you communicate these specifics, the better.

There weren’t enough supplies.

Always ensure that you aren’t short on basic supplies, including:

Paper towels

Always make sure you provide plenty of supplies and don’t worry about the extra money you spend! Your efforts will always be appreciated, and they could always be used by your next guests.

The Neighborhood Was Too Noisy.

While you can’t really do anything about this problem, there’s always a way to prevent guests from leaving a bad review because of it. So clearly communicate the status of your neighborhood in your posting, and be completely transparent about it. Then you can make sure your guests are okay with the noise and enjoy their stay.

Inevitably, there will always be times when things go wrong. But it’s all about the ways you choose to handle the situation that can turn an unsatisfied guest into a happy one.

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HOTELIERS OF TOMORROW

How to handle guest complaints

Guest complaints are common, not just in hospitality, and the more comfortable you get dealing with them, the better for you and your customers! Unfortunately practice itself does not always make perfect, only perfect practice does. So while everyone working in a hotel in any guest related position is confronted with tons of complains during their career, not everyone masters the skill of dealing with them effectively.

So how do you handle complaints and a guest who had a bad experience?

Because of my current role, I am very ‘lucky’ to be getting a lot of practice opportunities, and believe the following to be very helpful when dealing with upset customers:

Always remember that you are a limited personality over the phone, no matter how much you smile, it’s not the same. So if you have the luxury of being able to get up from your desk and talk to your guests directly face to face, no matter how unappealing it may seem at that moment (because of the yelling), DO IT, and it will pay off!
Don’t take it personal, and don’t make it about yourself! Even if it seems to be or actually is your fault, or the guest is insisting on holding you personally responsible for ruining their most important weekend, chances are that he/she is not actually upset at you personally, so don’t try to defend yourself or get emotional about it.
Don’t accept the blame and apologize for it, if you (your team and the hotel) is not at fault, and don’t try to push the blame on other departments or your coworkers! If you are not at fault, don’t accept the blame, but do always apologize for the inconvenience caused, because regardless of whose fault it is, your guest is obviously upset about it. If the guest is upset that his room was not cleaned all day, but did have the ‘do not disturb’ outside the door, you should not accept the blame, but can definitely apologize for the inconveniences that it caused. Trying to push the blame on others only makes you and your entire team look bad and unprofessional, and the guest doesn’t really care who messed up. I remember a recent bar experience with the barkeeper being seemingly professional and knowledgeable setting the perfect foundation for a memorable evening, and only when we could not order certain items from the food menu, she apologized by blaming it on the kitchen not having communicated properly to her. It’s not only her who looked bad, but the entire experience suffered.
Keep calm and carry on! Take notes and listen generously. Ask the guest, if you can take notes, and a couple of things will happen. Firstly you are not in the spotlight anymore, your notepad is now, and with the spotlight being removed, a lot of the pressure is too. Secondly the guest will calm down, be more thoughtful about his words (at this point any profanity usually disappears), and trust that you take the complaint serious (even if you’re drawing a picture of hangman on your notepad). Thirdly you’ll be able to remember what was said, and actually be able to follow-up on it. Were you ever at a meeting, trying to give constructive feedback and the other person didn’t take any notes? Did you have the feeling that anything was going to happen with your feedback?
Empathize with your guest (this has nothing to do with accepting the blame), paraphrase the reason for the complaint (you don’t want to end up solving the wrong problem), and offer a solution.
Did you solve the problem to your satisfaction or the guest’s? Offering a complimentary bottle of house wine may give you a heroic feeling that you did something, but doesn’t do anything for the guest, if it doesn’t solve the problem (chances are that the bottle of house wine is actually offending your guest who just spent a lot of money for staying at your hotel). Ask the guest what you can do at that moment to get it right, and what they expect from the hotel to make up for the service breakdown. Very rarely the guest is going to demand an upgrade to the Presidential Suite, and in most cases only wants to have the problem solved without any compensation.
Follow up on the guest complaint! Many times you need to involve other departments to solve the problem and depend on other people, so follow-up with the guest if the problem was solved to his/her satisfaction (it’s better to know now than at check-out later, if you’re still falling short).

I hope these suggestions help you to start adoring the challenge of changing a bad experience to the better and the opportunity of turning an upset guest into a loyal customer that comes with every complaint. Recognize every complaint as another opportunity, and understand that most guests do not complain, do not give you the chance to fix it, and simply do not come back.

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How Should Your Hotel Handle Guest Complaints?

Hotels are bound to receive guest complaints. Whether in-person or online, how hotels handle complaints is vital to their success.

If not appropriately addressed, complaints can have a detrimental effect on your business. They can damage your hotel’s reputation, decrease your opportunities for repeat business, and create a challenging working environment for your hotel staff.

Luckily, there are ways to handle complaints that have a long-term positive impact on your hotel. This article will review common complaints, ways to handle complaints in-person and online, and how you can improve your business with complaints.

Common Complaints

While you can’t predict every complaint, you can prepare yourself and your staff with some common ones:

The room is too hot/cold
Can’t access the wifi
Noise complaint
Uncleanly room
In-room amenities aren’t working
Poor customer service
Shortage of complimentary items

The Basics Of Handling Complaints

No matter what the complaint, there’s a framework you and your team can apply for a professional and service-focused guest experience. We’ve outlined five steps to refer to no matter the type of situation:

It’s possible that the guest(s) who are complaining may be angry or upset. When emotions run high, it’s essential to remain calm and listen to your guests. Don’t interrupt or make assumptions about the information. It seems like a simple step, but listening is a skill we all need to practice.

2 - Empathize And Apologize

People want to be heard and validated. The next level of listening is to empathize with your guests and apologize. Show that you have a personal interest in the guest’s problem and acknowledge what they tell you. Don’t blame anyone, but do make sure you concentrate on the issue and offer your undivided attention.

3 - Find The Root Of The Problem

This may not apply to all complaints, but make sure you understand the real problem. Is your guest’s complaint a symptom of something bigger? Again, make sure you and your team understand the actual situation.

A complaint about the room temperature, for example, maybe straightforward. There’s an obvious problem. On the other hand, a complaint about poor customer service may have some subtext that is cause for further investigation. Some guests may be the type who are complex by nature to satisfy, so use your judgment when finding a strategy that fits the given context.

4 - Offer A Solution

The next step is the problem-solving part. Give your guests solutions. Offer to send help to fix the room temperature, to have their room cleaned, or other resolutions to their issue. To avoid problems in the future, your team should not make promises that exceed their authority. This is where having hotel policies to refer to can be helpful.

Tell your guests the approximate time of completion and monitor the situation.

As a general note, don’t pass a complaint along to another department. Talking to a new person and re-explaining a situation is frustrating.

5 - The Follow-Up

Maybe the essential part of all is following up with your guests. Contact the guest to assure they’ve been taken care of, and the problem was resolved to their satisfaction should be a minimum. Send your guests a thank-you note acknowledging their loyalty to your hotel to go the extra mile. Small gestures like this can go a long way.

Tips For In-Person Complaints

An excellent way to actively listen to your guests when they approach you with a complaint is to write down what they say. It makes sure they feel heard and can be a proactive move if you need to refer to it again or another team member steps in for support.

Isolate The Situation

If possible, spatially contain the situation. You don’t want other guests to be bothered or overhear what’s going on, especially if emotions are running high. This can be a tricky one, so use your discretion.

Negative Online Reviews

Responding to negative online hotel reviews is an art form. Many guests use digital platforms to voice their complaints rather than discuss problems in person. There’s no perfect way to do it, but you can use the five steps we discussed to help guide your response. Stay professional, respond sincerely, offer a solution, and ask for a chance to receive better service.

For more details, read our blogs Improve Your Hotel Marketing Plan To Boost Bookings where we discuss why reviews are important and Boost Hotel Direct Bookings With These Strategies where we discuss how to manage your online communication.

Last General Tips

Don’t take things personally. Some guests can be challenging to deal with but remember not to take everything to heart. You and your staff need to take care of yourselves just as much as anyone else.
Be polite and don’t argue. Staying calm helps assure that things don’t escalate.
Create a logbook of guest complaints so you can track trends and gain insights. It could be worth investigating if you see a larger volume of complaints about the same thing.

Final Thoughts

Guest complaints are an inevitable part of running a hotel. When you address them properly, they’re an opportunity for you to turn a negative experience into a positive one. Complaints can provide your hotel with insight and qualitative data on how things are working and are a chance for you to make things right.

Hospitality is a service-focused industry, and naturally, guest complaints should be handled to reflect that. Let us know in the comments below your thoughts on handling guest complaints.

Symmons Blog

5 Common Hotel Guest Complaints–and How to Address Them

Learn about the top hotel guest complaints to minimize potential issues and improve guest relations. Here are some common problems guests complain about.

4 minutes read

Published on September 3, 2019

Author Symmons Industries

Guest Experience
Hospitality
Water Management

One of the greatest challenges when managing your hotel is providing a top-notch guest experience. Yet, even with an unwavering focus on placing your guests first, your staff has to deal with complaints both at the front desk and posted online. Other times, guests simply won’t mention the problem to your staff at all. Instead, they will leave in anger to never return to your establishment. Learning about the top hotel guest complaints will allow you to minimize the issues to improve guest relations. Here are some common problems guest may complain about:

Room noise can instantly disrupt a guest’s sleep. If they have been traveling for long hours, they want to rest in a quiet room away from distractions. However, this problem is not always easy to solve depending on the type of noise that is disturbing their rest.

Solution: A few actions you can take to address and prevent noise complaints include:

When there is construction or outdoor events close to guest rooms, plan to place as many guests as possible in rooms that do not face the construction or event site.
If the guest reports that the noise is coming from within the building, locate the source of the noise to determine the best course of action to take. If the noise is coming from other rooms or outside, you can move the guest to another section of the hotel or you can ask the other guests if they could quiet down.
Sometimes, noise can come from mechanical systems. In these instances, ensure that walls are properly insulated to reduce mechanical noises.

Uneven Room Temperature

Like Goldilocks and the Three Bears story, some guests will complain that their room is too hot while others will say that their room is too cold. Every guest will have a particular room temperature that they enjoy the most.

Solution: Ensure guests can reach and use the in-room thermostat so they can adjust the heating/cooling system for themselves. Attach printed instructions under the thermostat or on the nightstand. On occasions when a guest insists that your staff comes to make the adjustments, send someone down immediately to address the issue. Also, work with your maintenance staff to perform regular winterization measures to make sure that heat and cool air stay inside of the rooms instead of escaping through windows or poorly-insulated walls.

Dirty Rooms

Guests may have varying standards or interpretations of what they would consider a clean room, so it is important to ask detailed questions regarding what areas of the room need to be addressed. The problem could be as simple as a few hairs in the bathtub or someone’s clothing found in a drawer to trash under the bed or pests in the room.

Solution: Immediately fix the issue by having the room re-cleaned or by moving the guest to a room that has been completely inspected. Then speak with the cleaning staff and check cleaning schedules to figure out why the room wasn’t ready for the booked guest. On a regular basis, plan on walking your housekeeping staff through the hotel’s standards for room cleanliness as a refresher and to onboard new staff. If the unhappy guest pushes the issue, you can provide them with a complimentary meal or another extra amenity.

Hotel Service Complaint

Another common complaint will focus on the hotel service. A guest may complain about rude staff, cold meals that arrive when ordering room service, or spotty Wi-Fi reception. Guests may also complain regarding the size of the room, being offered a room different from the room type requested, or a hotel feature that is not available.

Solution: Apologize to the guest regarding their hotel service complaints. Perform an investigation regarding the issue and take the required remediation actions to prevent the problem from happening to other guests. Take note of many guests are requesting the same kinds of features, as this may indicate that future guests would be interested in these features, as well.

Inadequate Water Temperatures

Hotel guests want to take a nice hot shower or bath throughout the duration of their stay. Yet the water may not be at the ideal temperature, or the hot water may run out quickly.

Solution: Check to see if the water issue is with that single room or whether it is impacting other guests. Move the guest to another hotel room that provides hot water. Then evaluate your water system and have the plumbing issue repaired. To prevent future complaints, invest in Symmons Water Management to help monitor your water system and receive instant alerts that a water problem has been detected.

Being sensitive to and immediately responsive to guest complaints can quickly turn a negative stay into a positive guest experience–and even prevent a negative review. By quickly and thoroughly addressing their issues, you can make the rest of the guest’s stay enjoyable and increase the chances they will stay at your hotel again or recommend it to their friends. Learn more about preventing water temperature complaints at your hotel using the Symmons Water Management platform.

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Hotel Propeller Blog

How to Deal with the Most Common Guest Problems

According to one survey , seven in 10 consumers in the United States say they spend more money doing business with a company that delivers great service than one that doesn’t.

Great customer service pays dividends, and for your property it means repeat customers and great word of mouth reviews.

By going above and beyond every time, you’ll find better online reviews as well which in turn increases your bookings, and your revenue. But, providing excellent service isn’t always something that comes naturally.

Because customer service is so important to your longevity and success, we look at how to deal with the most common guest problems, so everyone leaves happy.

Guests Say Rooms Aren’t Clean

One of the most common guest problems we hear about is rooms that aren’t clean enough.

While this may be common with lower end hotels, it happens with high end properties as well.

Often guests say the bathroom isn’t up to par, the shower is dirty, or there are hairs in the sink or in the bed. Some guests also find previous guests’ clothes or shoes in a drawer or closet. These are all horrible and can disgust your guests.

The worst happens, though, if guests find bugs or even bed bugs in a hotel room.

You can bet if your guests say your rooms are dirty, they’re going to leave you a bad review online. This means your reputation is going to take a nosedive.

The single most important thing you can do to have a stellar reputation is keep your hotel clean. Word travels like wildfire if a hotel is dirty or has bed bugs.

What can you do? Make sure your hotel is never dirty. Train your housekeeping staff to provide the absolute best when it comes to hygiene. This goes for both low end, high end, and everything in between.

Superior cleanliness is expected by your guests no matter how much they pay for your rooms. Strive to always provide it as your reputation depends on it.

Finally, make sure your staff over apologizes for the transgressions and fix the situation immediately. Your best bet is to move the guests to a room that you personally looked over for cleanliness.

You can also go the extra mile and offer them a complimentary night or a free meal in your restaurant.

Guests Say It’s Too Noisy

Another one of the most common guest problems is noisy hotels.

When your guests book a hotel room , they are looking for a comfortable place to return to after a long day either working, traveling, or sightseeing. They want peace, quiet, and a good night’s rest.

While you can’t be on every floor in your hotel, you can set the stage for quiet hallways and rooms. Make sure that all of your guests know you expect quiet in your hallways after a certain time.

In addition, guests complain about outside noise. For example, a common problem is construction outside your hotel. If this is going on, always let your guests know upfront so they aren’t surprised.

While you can’t always control the noise situation, here are a few steps you can take:

If a guest complains about other loud guests, send someone up to the room to ask for quiet and respect.
When a guests complains of outside noise, offer to move them up or down a few floors or across the floor. Your goal is to get them in a room that’s furthest from the noise. Offer to bring a luggage cart and move your guest’s luggage for them.
You can also offer earplugs as a last resort.

Sometimes your guests won’t complain of noise because they are using a “sleep fan” or other white noise app on their cell phone. You can also recommend this to your hotel guests who are particularly sensitive to the noise.

Guests Say Your Service is Bad

In the age of the internet, your property is basically held hostage by its online reviews. What can you do?

Don’t give anyone a reason to leave a bad review.

Bad customer service is another highly common guest problem. Whether it’s your front desk staff, pool or fitness employees, spa staff, housekeeping, or your restaurant staff, it’s imperative they are all trained on a consistent basis.

Ongoing customer service training pays dividends for your hotel. Your trained and happy staff equals happy customers, every time.

When service complaints do occur, whether they are valid or not, take them seriously. You want to handle each complaint with care, sympathy, and empathy. Whether your staff member was rude or not, apologize and try to remedy the situation.

Be sure and investigate the issue. Assure your guests it won’t happen again and do everything in your power to take care of the situation. Doing this just might keep the angry customer from leaving a bad online review.

Remember always the old adage that says, “the customer is always right.” It is applicable when it comes to your hotel.

Guests Say Your Wi-Fi is Slow

Unfortunately, this is another of the most common guest complaints, and there really is no reason for it.

You can assume that nearly all of your guests want high-speed Wi-Fi. Whether they’re watching Netflix, working, or surfing Instagram, they are going to be frustrated by poor Wi-Fi.

When it comes to your hotel’s Wi-Fi, make sure you give your guests the information they need to log on. Don’t make them call you for it or hunt for it.

And, finally, up the speed on your Wi-Fi and offer it for free. You just may find that by offering this one service, you increase the positive customer reviews online as well as your customers’ overall happiness.

To Conclude

Imagine that you are a guest in your hotel.

Ask yourself if your rooms are clean enough and quiet enough. Ask yourself if your staff goes above and beyond every time to offer the best service. Watch how your team handles complaints.

Experience every aspect of your hotel just as a guest would. Are you happy with what you see and feel when you’re in your hotel?

If yes, that’s great. Keep training your employees and treating them well.

If the answer is no, it’s time to take a long hard look at your processes. Refine them and revise where needed.

As a member of the hospitality industry, your goal is happy customers. If you put this front and center in every day, you can avoid many of the most common guest problems. (tweet this)

Looking to showcase your hotel? At Hotel Propeller, we build functional, beautiful websites that highlight your hotel to help you stand out in the crowd. You’ll find everything you need to attract guests to your website and compel visitors to make a reservation. Take a look at our showcase and contact us today.

Images: Patrick Tomasso and Adriana Saraceanu on Unsplash

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10 Common Hotel Problems and Solutions

Being a hotelier can be both rewarding and exhausting. Tending to guest needs and ensuring an exceptional experience at your hotel for everyone who walks through the doors of your lobby is a busy job — a job that is regularly made all the busier when problems inevitably arise. Hotel problems can present themselves in many forms. Whether it’s a guest complaint, a busted thermostat, paperwork problem, long line in the lobby, or cold showers, there’s almost always problems that need to be solved at a hotel.

However, when problems rear their ugly heads, it doesn’t always have to be a giant distraction. Conceiving a plan of action for how to deal with various hotel problems and figuring out effective solutions ahead of time will allow hoteliers to roll with the punches and solve issues quickly.

Each hotel, depending on its location, facilities and customer types, will have a somewhat distinct set of problems they can expect to receive. Regardless, there are some common problems consistent across hotels, no matter their differences.

The most common problems hotel staff members may encounter in the course of running a property include:

Lack of complimentary supplies
Long lines at the front desk
Slow room turnover
Lack of guest information from OTAs
Low guest satisfaction scores
Closed amenities
Credit card authorization forms that aren’t PCI compliant
Staff shortages
Low hotel app adoption
High call volumes at the front desk

Let’s now take a brief look at each of these problems in detail and review a corresponding solution.

Lack of Complimentary Supplies

‍ Problem: Although it may not appear to be the most critical thing to consider, many guests will anticipate complimentary amenities such as shampoo, soaps, coffee and tea, despite the type of property at which they are staying (e.g., full service, limited service, luxury, etc.). Unfortunately, a lack of these types of basic room commodities can result in low guest satisfaction scores and negative online reviews — even if the rest of their stay is fantastic.

Solution : To keep your visitors as pleased as possible, hoteliers would be wise to stash large quantities of complimentary room supplies in closets and cleaning stations around their property. This ensures that housekeeping teams are able to easily access a reliable storehouse of these supplies quickly, no matter where they are on the property.

And if your property belongs to a larger hotel group or management company, be sure to see if there are promotional deals available with certain brands that provide these types of products.

Long Lines at the Front Desk

Problem: Nobody likes long lines, and this is especially true when a person is waiting on something they don’t just want, but need — like a comfortable room with a bed in it. Long lines at a hotel’s front desk can be a real problem for desk agents as they can cause guests to become frustrated and argumentative.

Solution : Front desk staff at any hotel can improve their overall efficiency, streamline the guest experience and eliminate long lines in the lobby by offering a Contactless Check-In solution to guests before they ever set foot on the property. Contactless Check-In enables guests to go through the check-in process conveniently on their own mobile devices. This tool frees up front desk staff to spend more time fielding questions from guests and less time dealing with administrative paperwork.

Slow Room Turnover

Problem: The ability to turnover rooms quickly is one of the essential keys to success in the hospitality industry. If a property is short staffed, or just generally having issues running a housekeeping department efficiently, this can result in negative consequences for both guest satisfaction scores and a hotel’s revenue.

Solution : Hoteliers need to do everything they can to ensure their housekeeping teams are able to turnover rooms quickly. This can include ensuring things like all housekeeping stations across a property are well stocked with cleaning supplies and accounting for other logistical challenges. However, technology also has a role to play in boosting housekeeping efficiency.

Contactless Checkout solutions enable guests to checkout at their own convenience from their mobile devices. These types of tools are highly valued by guests because they make a hotel visit all the more streamlined and peaceful. However, they also have the added benefit of informing hotel staff as to which rooms are ready to be turned at the precise moment a guest leaves. Essentially, this provides a housekeeping team with a real-time map that shows where staff members need to be on the property.

Lack of Guest Information From OTAs

Problem: OTAs can be very useful in generating reservations at a property, but they are not without their downsides. In addition to the problems inherent in the concept of rate parity, OTAs usually don’t provide a hotel with crucial guest information such as their email address. This lack of information can keep properties from building their own database of marketing contacts that could be used to promote loyalty programs and direct sales campaigns.

Solution : The key to solving this problem is to somehow add the registration of an email address to the check-in process. This information can be collected in person at the front desk, but this approach has the disadvantage of potentially provoking an uncomfortable question about why the hotel is requesting an email. Additionally this will slow down the overall check-in process and may lead to longer wait times for guests looking to collect their room keys.

Instead, forward-looking hoteliers should search out technology solutions that enable a Contactless Check-In flow that can be customized to capture this crucial customer data.

Low Guest Satisfaction Scores

Problem: Bad reviews happen. It’s unfortunate, but it’s so. They can occur for nearly infinite reasons and they are the bane of every hotel manager’s existence.

Solution: When one- or two-star reviews occur it’s generally best to find out why as soon as possible. Including a star-rating step in a Contactless Checkout flow that can be accessed through a guest’s mobile device allows hoteliers to identify dissatisfied guests early and potentially resolve any issues before they depart the property.

Closed Amenities

Problem: For a variety of reasons, a hotel may need to close services and amenities. The reasons why can range from the sun has gone down and the masseuses have gone home to a maintenance with a hot tub or sudden thunderstorm over a lakeside resort. Understandably, when amenities are closed, but guests are expecting them, this can leave patrons feeling less than pleased. After all, a property’s particular amenities may be one of the reasons guests wish to stay at the location in the first place.

Solution: To minimize surprises, hotel management should do its best to ensure guests are made aware of the operating hours of guest services. It’s wise to include this information during the check-in process and make it available in each hotel room in the forms of brochures, pamphlets, etc.

If a hotel’s management team is forced to close amenities and guest services unexpectedly, it’s best to be proactive with your communication. Using a guest messaging tool that allows you to broadcast text message guests at scale with the relevant information enables you to ensure guests know before they find out on their own. Better to get ahead of this problem while the engineering team works on it.

Credit Card Authorization Forms That Aren’t PCI Compliant & Lead to Fraud

Problem: Many hotels are still using paper credit card authorization forms despite the fact that it is no longer considered PCI compliant to do so. Obviously, collecting sensitive guest information in such an insecure way is a significant problem for many hotels and can lead to thousands of dollars in lost revenue from fraud and chargebacks.

Solution: Hoteliers that wish to reduce fraud and chargebacks at their properties should look for PCI compliant Digital Authorizations solutions that are guest-friendly and easy to implement. It’s time to say goodbye to paper forms forever.

Staffing Shortages

Problem: Staffing shortages have been a problem for hotels since there have been hotels. For most hotels, staff shortages can be due to regional issues in the job market. However, as demonstrated by, and in the wake of, the COVID-19 pandemic, sometimes the worldwide hospitality industry suffers a staffing shortage at the same time.

Solution: The solution to a staffing shortage is twofold. The first step is to build a recruiting program for staff at your hotel. Look at surrounding properties and find out if they offer bonuses and try to match them. Also, it never hurts to let candidates know that advancement opportunities are available.

‍ The second step in solving a staffing issue, is to lean on guest-facing technology solutions that can automate messages to guests and enable them to operate more independently during their stay.

Low Hotel App Adoption

Problem: Many hotels have adopted new technologies in recent years to address changing consumer behaviors (thanks to COVID), which is good news. However, many of these hotels have bet big on developing a native app for their properties, and that’s less good. Native apps have a relatively high barrier to entry as they need to be downloaded onto a person’s smartphone. For a variety of reasons, hotel guests generally fail to adopt native apps at scale .

Solution: Hotels should opt for web-based technologies that can be accessed through the browser of a mobile device. This avoids the need for downloads entirely and allows for a more streamlined experience. Plus, hotels will find much higher adoption rates than they otherwise would with a native app.

High Call Volume at Front Desk

Problem: High call volumes can be both good and bad at a hotel. A large call volume generally means (hopefully) that a hotel is full of guests, which is great. However, too many calls to the front desk can overload staff and leave guests waiting for answers. This is a problem that almost every hotel will have to deal with at one point or another.

Solution: Offering a messaging solution to hotel visitors that works with the existing messaging apps on their mobile devices can go a long way toward cutting call down call volumes. Hoteliers that plan to add a messaging solution to their guest experience should look for tools that enable them to save valuable time through automated, broadcast and direct messages.

As stated at the beginning of this post, running a hotel is an incredibly busy job that requires hoteliers to plan ahead for problems. Knowing what levers to pull on and solutions to deploy beforehand can keep everyday issues from turning into minor catastrophes. As outlined above, the two most useful things for any hotelier in a time of need are reliable technology tools and thought-out plans of action. With these in hand, a savvy hotel staff will be able to ride out any problems they may encounter.

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Blog / November 9, 2022

7 Most Common Restaurant Complaints and How to Handle Them

unhappy guests filing a restaurant complaint

Reputation can make or break a business. Whether a customer keeps their complaints private and decides to never return to your restaurant, or they leave a negative review online for the public, customer complaints have a ripple effect.

When customers share feedback, it’s important for restaurateurs to listen and implement changes to improve the dining experience.

What’s better than addressing an issue once it’s already become a problem? Anticipating problems and making changes before a customer complains.

Examples and Solutions to the Most Common Restaurant Complaints

Diners’ biggest issues can be grouped into the following categories:

Food and drink complaints
Customer service complaints
Atmosphere complaints
Online ordering complaints
Hygiene complaints
Pricing complaints
Technology complaints

We’re going dive into these common restaurant complaints, provide you with solutions for handling them and share real-world examples of customer complaints from online reviews.

Food and Drink Complaints

Types of food and drink restaurant complaints: .

Poor food quality is one of the most common complaints in restaurants. Examples of this complaint include dishes lacking flavor, failing to meet expectations or causing food poisoning.

Diners also complain about food temperature, such as a dish coming out cold or meat being served at a different degree of doneness than requested.

Customers also aren’t happy when they inform servers about a dietary restriction or allergen and the restaurant gives them something that they can’t eat. Mix-ups caused by servers mishearing and failing to confirm orders are also common issues.

We see many of the most common restaurant complaints about food in this Google review of a popular casual restaurant chain. The guest states that her fries were soggy and the ribs were “tough as cardboard.” She also complains about the temperature of the food, which she said was cold despite being reheated. The guest also reveals that items were missing from her order.

Solutions to Food and Drink Complaints:

Recipe books and proper training for chefs are solutions to customer complaints about food quality. When chefs know what they’re doing and follow the same protocol, dishes should be consistent. Your restaurant’s kitchen display system can help you keep food from getting cold. These systems can track how long a ticket has been open to help the back-of-house team prioritize the longest-standing orders.

Technology, such as self-service ordering solutions and customer-facing displays, can help reduce mix-ups and incorrect orders. When it comes to food allergies, a mix-up can turn into a serious issue for both guests and the restaurant. Currently, only Rhode Island and Massachusetts require restaurants to provide staff with allergen training. However, with a whopping 10.3 million Americans suffering from severe shellfish and nut allergies, and four out of five food allergy fatalities caused by nuts, it’s too costly not to provide allergen training for your team.

Customer Service Complaints

Types of customer service complaints:.

Inattentiveness and rudeness are some of the most common customer service-related restaurant complaints. Front-of-house (FOH) staff members who are mean, curt or barely visit the table are examples of things guests complain about.

Poor meal pacing is another issue. According to research in our Date Night Diner Report , 45% of diners wouldn’t return to a restaurant if their party’s meals arrived at the table at different times (i.e., more than 10 to 15 minutes apart).

Guests also complain about check inaccuracy: getting charged the wrong amount, for the wrong items or for something they didn’t know costs extra.

Poor service is to blame for this customer’s bad experience at the bar she reviewed. She received mixed messages from rude staff, which led to a frustrating wait, and experienced inattentive service that ultimately led her to leave. This bar lost a customer forever due to subpar service.

Solutions to Restaurant Customer Service Complaints:

Post-meal feedback surveys and online review management can help you understand who on your team is doing well and who needs more help (or to be replaced). A tool like SevenRooms can automate asking guests for feedback and can aggregate public reviews to make it easier to stay on top of them.

Look for patterns in poor staff behaviors and use that intel to train team members who need additional support. Thorough staff onboarding and ongoing customer service training are solutions to this common restaurant complaint.

Atmosphere Complaints

Types of restaurant atmosphere complaints:.

Customer complaints about atmosphere cover a range of issues, from too hot or too cold room temperatures to poor lighting.

Sound-related complaints are common at restaurants that play music or have live entertainment. In fact, 43% of diners say they wouldn’t return to a restaurant if it was too loud to hold a conversation. And 26% of diners wouldn’t return if they were seated next to a party that was talking too loudly, while 31% of customers would stay away if they were seated too close to another table.

Crowds are another atmosphere issue guests take issue with. We found that one in four diners would stop coming to a restaurant if it was too crowded for them to find their party.

The music at this jazz bar and restaurant was too loud for the customer to enjoy her birthday visit. Unfortunately, she’s vowed to never come back again, which means the restaurant has lost her as a customer for good.

Solutions to Restaurant Atmosphere Complaints:

Read reviews and send surveys to proactively ask customers what they enjoyed about your restaurant’s atmosphere and what could be improved. You can also ask servers to record requests during service to help your team better understand the temperature and noise level people like.

Online Ordering Complaints

Types of online ordering complaints:.

Common customer complaints about takeout and delivery orders include receiving the wrong item, food getting cold , long wait times and customers having to meet delivery drivers at their vehicles instead of at their front doors.

This restaurant clearly did not manage the customer’s expectations. They had to wait almost 2 hours for a quoted 45-minute pizza delivery and to top it off, the food arrived cold.

Solutions to Online Ordering Complaints:

An online ordering solution that integrates with your point of sale (POS) system keeps your kitchen organized so you can make sure customers get what they ordered. Delivery integrations facilitate deliveries from professional drivers who can communicate expectations to customers including accurate delivery times.

Another solution is to offer direct delivery , instead of partnering with third-party platforms, so you can have full control over the quality of the order execution.

Hygiene Complaints

Types of restaurant hygiene complaints:.

The most common customer complaints about hygiene restaurants receive are related to finding hair in food, dirty utensils and dishes and cleanliness issues in bathrooms. Restaurants also hear about dirty or dusty dining rooms and rodent sightings.

This particular location of a popular chain restaurant suffered from major cleanliness issues when this guest visited. The customer cited dirty, uncleared tables as a major concern, and also experienced frustrating customer service.

Solutions to Restaurant Hygiene Complaints:

The COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on sanitation and though restrictions and health mandates have been lifted, it’s still top of mind for many diners. Provide hand sanitizer at host stands and server stations and ensure staff is thoroughly cleaning tables between seatings. Checklists can help your team remember to clean toilets, restock toilet paper, and check serviceware as it comes out of the dishwasher. If your team is short-staffed, consider hiring a cleaning service to help.

Hair nets and hats also reduce the likelihood of stray hair making its way onto a plate.

Pricing Complaints

Types of pricing complaints:.

When it comes to pricing, guests complain about expensive dishes, surprise charges for upsells, high delivery and service fees, reservation cancellation fees and unexpected auto-gratuities.

A $65 price tag for soup at a restaurant that Google describes as “casual” would disappoint anyone. This customer was especially upset that the quality of the dish didn’t match its price.

Solutions to Restaurant Pricing Complaints:

Transparency is the best solution to common customer complaints about pricing. If you’ve had to raise prices, tell guests why. If guacamole costs extra, let customers know. Make your reservation cancellation policy clear if you’re going to charge for no-shows.

If customers complain about prices consistently, consider reducing portion sizes to avoid raising prices.

Tech Complaints

Types of restaurant technology complaints:.

When it comes to restaurant tech, guests complain about reservation cancellation charges, outdated websites, confusing online ordering platforms and inflexible self-service ordering kiosks.

This customer, who likely ordered food online, was rightfully upset that he never received his order, especially after waiting such a long time. Despite this inconvenience, he was charged for a meal.

Solutions to Tech Complaints:

Resolve these problems by making cancellation policies clear, updating your website regularly, training servers to teach customers how to use self-service ordering tools and assisting when needed. Overcompensate for impersonal technology with great service.

How to Proactively Manage Restaurant Complaints

Preventing customer complaints is better than receiving and resolving them. Be proactive about managing issues by soliciting feedback from guests.

Comment cards are a thing of the past. Instead, use a tool like SevenRooms to automatically send post-meal feedback surveys and understand what you should improve about the dining experience.

You should also actively monitor feedback from public review websites. SevenRooms’ review aggregation tool gathers reviews from various sites and sends management a daily digest. The tool’s dashboard lets you see patterns in guest sentiment to implement changes.

Fortunately, with the right solutions, you can get ahead of common restaurant complaints and resolve small issues before they turn into big problems. Delight guests and prevent complaints with SevenRooms. Book a demo today.

Restaurant Complaint FAQs

1. what are the most common complaints at a restaurant.

The most common restaurant complaints fall into 7 major categories: food and drink, customer service, atmosphere, online ordering, hygiene, pricing, and technology.

2. How Do You Respond to Complaining Customers?

The first step is to listen to a customer’s complaint and fully acknowledge their experience. Then offer an apology and find a resolution that satisfies the customer in a timely manner. Take note of the complaint and, if necessary, review it with staff or take action to make improvements.

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How to Improve a Meeting (When You’re Not in Charge)

Tijs Besieux
Amy C. Edmondson

You can use these tactics before, during, or after.

Research shows that many employees find meetings ineffective, inefficient, or unproductive, but unless you work in a psychologically safe environment, where candor is encouraged, you’re unlikely to raise your hand and speak up about what’s wrong — especially if you’re not the person running the meeting. The authors have identified a series of interventions that anyone can use:

The helpful workaround is useful when there is low psychological safety on the team or with the person conducting the meeting. Here, you don’t explicitly name the thing that bothers you, but you ask a question that can help resolve the feelings of frustration you may be experiencing in the meeting.
The solution-centric proposal works when there is moderate psychological safety. Here, you are to point to the problem area by asking a question that demonstrates how resolving the issue will increase the effectiveness of the meeting.
The constructive confrontation is for high psychological safety situations. With this approach, you decide to explicitly name the problem and give feedback to forge a productive solution.

Organizations hold meetings all the time — lots of them. In the U.S. alone, 55 million meetings happen daily, but how many of them are actually useful? According to most employees and managers — not very many.

Tijs Besieux is an independent researcher at Harvard Business School. He is a senior advisor at &samhoud and the founder of Voice Up.
Amy C. Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School. Her latest book is Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well (Atria Books, forthcoming in September 2023).

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Netflix's hit sci-fi series '3 Body Problem' is based on a real math problem that is so complex it's impossible to solve

The three-body problem is a centuries-old physics question that puzzled Isaac Newton .
It describes the orbits of three bodies, like planets or stars, trapped in each other's gravity.
The problem is unsolvable and led to the development of chaos theory.

While Netflix's "3 Body Problem" is a science-fiction show, its name comes from a real math problem that's puzzled scientists since the late 1600s.

In physics, the three-body problem refers to the motion of three bodies trapped in each other's gravitational grip — like a three-star system.

It might sound simple enough, but once you dig into the mathematics, the orbital paths of each object get complicated very quickly.

Two-body vs. three- and multi-body systems

A simpler version is a two-body system like binary stars. Two-body systems have periodic orbits, meaning they are mathematically predictable because they follow the same trajectory over and over. So, if you have the stars' initial positions and velocities, you can calculate where they've been or will be in space far into the past and future.

However, "throwing in a third body that's close enough to interact leads to chaos," Shane Ross, an aerospace and ocean engineering professor at Virginia Tech, told Business Insider. In fact, it's nearly impossible to precisely predict the orbital paths of any system with three bodies or more.

While two orbiting planets might look like a ven diagram with ovular paths overlapping, the paths of three bodies interacting often resemble tangled spaghetti. Their trajectories usually aren't as stable as systems with only two bodies.

All that uncertainty makes what's known as the three-body problem largely unsolvable, Ross said. But there are certain exceptions.

The three-body problem is over 300 years old

The three-body problem dates back to Isaac Newton , who published his "Principia" in 1687.

In the book, the mathematician noted that the planets move in elliptical orbits around the sun. Yet the gravitational pull from Jupiter seemed to affect Saturn's orbital path.

The three-body problem didn't just affect distant planets. Trying to understand the variations in the moon's movements caused Newton literal headaches, he complained.

But Newton never fully figured out the three-body problem. And it remained a mathematical mystery for nearly 200 years.

In 1889, a Swedish journal awarded mathematician Henri Poincaré a gold medal and 2,500 Swedish crowns, roughly half a year's salary for a professor at the time, for his essay about the three-body problem that outlined the basis for an entirely new mathematical theory called chaos theory .

According to chaos theory, when there is uncertainty about a system's initial conditions, like an object's mass or velocity, that uncertainty ripples out, making the future more and more unpredictable.

Think of it like taking a wrong turn on a trip. If you make a left instead of a right at the end of your journey, you're probably closer to your destination than if you made the mistake at the very beginning.

Can you solve the three-body problem?

Cracking the three-body problem would help scientists chart the movements of meteors and planets, including Earth, into the extremely far future. Even comparatively small movements of our planet could have large impacts on our climate, Ross said.

Though the three-body problem is considered mathematically unsolvable, there are solutions to specific scenarios. In fact, there are a few that mathematicians have found.

For example, three bodies could stably orbit in a figure eight or equally spaced around a ring. Both are possible depending on the initial positions and velocities of the bodies.

One way researchers look for solutions is with " restricted " three-body problems, where two main bodies (like the sun and Earth) interact and a third object with much smaller mass (like the moon) offers less gravitational interference. In this case, the three-body problem looks a lot like a two-body problem since the sun and Earth comprise the majority of mass in the system.

However, if you're looking at a three-star system, like the one in Netflix's show "3 Body Problem," that's a lot more complicated.

Computers can also run simulations far more efficiently than humans, though due to the inherent uncertainties, the results are typically approximate orbits instead of exact.

Finding solutions to three-body problems is also essential to space travel, Ross said. For his work, he inputs data about the Earth, moon, and spacecraft into a computer. "We can build up a whole library of possible trajectories," he said, "and that gives us an idea of the types of motion that are possible."

If you enjoyed this story, be sure to follow Business Insider on Microsoft Start.

Netflix's hit sci-fi series '3 Body Problem' is based on a real math problem that is so complex it's impossible to solve

How do you use AI like ChatGPT to solve programming problems?

Since I’m new to Python I have it write me small snippets of code if I cannot figure it out myself. Since I learn best by looking at code and having it explained, occasionally people think I’m doing homework when I’m not.

I have used Google Gemini AI to write a short Python program to look for multiple strings on a line in any order and print that line. https://gemini.google.com

I have not used it to write any long programs.

However I don’t see any use to AI when trying to integrate my Python programs with the Azure Function Apps since the Python code is a small part of it .The Azure Function has to be set up via several screens and a few steps which I don’t see how AI could reproduce.

Also the AI gets it’s info from other web pages, and because Azure screens and features change so fast, any web page or tutorial older than 6 months probably won’t work (which has been my experience.)

Letting an AI write your code is basically equivalent to searching the web for solutions and copying and pasting whichever ones you find and calling that a program. You have all the normal problems of copying code from the internet (that it might be buggy, malicious, copyrighted, or functional but just bad), plus the added problem that it’s being combined by something that has no idea what it’s doing, and is just really good at sounding plausible.

So, how do I use ChatGPT to solve programming problems?

It’s that simple.

I was trying to come up with a SQL query (I don’t know anything about SQL so it wasn’t going well) and I asked Copilot for help. The code it gave me flat-out didn’t work, but I was able to merge that with what I had already written and get a functioning result. The logic of what it returned was mostly sound, but the syntax was flat-out broken in a way I wouldn’t have been able to fix without having already done some reading. I would definitely not just trust anything AI-generated without going over it with a fine-toothed comb, so while it might provide inspiration, you still have to read and understand it, or you’re just setting yourself up for problems later.

A Solution on North Korea Is There, if Biden Will Only Grasp It

Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, in 2019.

By John Delury

Dr. Delury is a professor of Chinese studies and an expert on North Korea.

How do you solve a problem like North Korea?

Since the end of the Cold War, it seems that every formula, from threatening war to promising peace, has been tried. And yet, despite being under more sanctions than just about any other country, North Korea developed a nuclear arsenal estimated at 50 warheads and sophisticated missiles that can, in theory, deliver those weapons to targets in the continental United States.

President Biden’s administration has taken a notably more ambivalent approach toward North Korea than his predecessor Donald Trump, who alternately railed at and courted its leader, Kim Jong-un. But we shouldn’t stop trying to come up with bold ways to denuclearize North Korea, improve the lives of its people or lessen the risks of conflict, even if that means making unpalatable choices. On the contrary, there is more urgency now than there has been for years.

As the analyst Robert Carlin and the nuclear scientist Siegfried Hecker, two experienced North Korea watchers, warned in January, Mr. Kim has shifted away from pursuing better relations with the United States and South Korea and closer to President Vladimir Putin of Russia and may be preparing for war. Just days after the two experts issued their warning, Mr. Kim disavowed the long-cherished goal of peaceful reconciliation between the two Koreas, and he called for “completely occupying, subjugating and reclaiming” the South if war breaks out.

It might seem preposterous, even suicidal, for Mr. Kim to seek war. But many people in Ukraine doubted that Mr. Putin would launch a full invasion, right up until the rockets began landing in February 2022, and Hamas caught Israel completely by surprise in October. Both conflicts have had devastating human tolls and are severely taxing America’s ability to manage concurrent crises. The people of both Koreas certainly don’t need war, and neither does the United States.

Mr. Kim’s grandfather started the Korean War, and his father was a master of brinkmanship. Mr. Kim is cut from the same cloth and could instigate a limited conflict by, for example, launching an amphibious assault on South Korean-controlled islands in disputed waters of the Yellow Sea, less than 15 miles off North Korea’s coast. North Korea shelled one of the islands in 2010, killing two South Korean military personnel and two civilians and triggering an exchange of artillery with the South. Just two months ago, Pyongyang fired more than 200 shells into waters near the islands.

Mr. Kim may believe he can manage escalation of such a crisis — threatening missile or even nuclear attack to deter retaliation, perhaps taking the islands, then spinning it as a great propaganda victory and demanding a redrawing of maritime boundaries and other security concessions.

If anything like that scenario came to pass, Mr. Biden would have to explain another outbreak of war on his watch to weary American voters. And it would provide Mr. Trump an opportunity to trumpet his willingness to engage with Mr. Kim.

The mutual distrust between Washington and Pyongyang has only deepened under Mr. Biden, making a breakthrough seem unlikely. Yet there are two underappreciated dynamics at play in North Korea where the United States might find leverage.

The first is China. Despite the veneer of Communist kinship, Mr. Kim and President Xi Jinping of China are nationalists at heart, and they watch each other warily. I have made numerous visits to both nations’ capitals and met with officials and policy shapers. The sense of deep mutual distrust is palpable. Many Chinese look down on neighboring North Korea as backward and are annoyed by its destabilizing behavior. Many North Koreans resent China’s success and resist its influence; Pyongyang could allow much more Chinese investment but doesn’t want to be indebted to Chinese capital. And Mr. Kim seems to delight in timing provocations for maximum embarrassment in Beijing, including testing weapons — prohibited by U.N. sanctions — in the lead-up to sensitive Chinese political events .

Mr. Kim waited six years after becoming the paramount leader in 2011 before making a trip to Beijing to meet Mr. Xi. When Covid emerged, North Korea was among the first countries to shut its borders with China, and ties atrophied during those nearly three years of closure . Last year Mr. Kim chose Mr. Putin, not Mr. Xi, for his first postpandemic summit, skipping China to travel to Russia’s far east. Mr. Kim’s distrust of China is an opening for the United States.

The second point is Mr. Kim’s economic ambitions. For every speech mentioning nukes, he talks at much greater length about the poor state of his nation’s economy while promising to improve it. It was the prospect of American-led economic sanctions being lifted that persuaded him to make the 60-hour train ride from Pyongyang to Hanoi to meet then-President Trump for their second summit in 2019. Mr. Kim explicitly offered to dismantle his main nuclear weapons complex, but Mr. Trump demanded the North also turn over all of its nuclear weapons, material and facilities. The talks collapsed, and Mr. Trump seemed to lose interest in dealing with Mr. Kim. A rare opportunity was wasted, leaving Mr. Kim embittered.

The key to any new overture to North Korea is how it is framed. The White House won’t like to hear this, but success will probably depend on Mr. Biden putting his fingerprints all over the effort, by, for example, nominating a new White House envoy with the stature of someone like John Kerry and announcing a sweeping policy on North Korea and an intelligence review. Only the president can get through to Mr. Kim, and only Mr. Kim can change North Korean policy.

Mr. Biden also would need to use radically different language in framing a new overture as an effort to improve relations and aid North Korea’s economy — not to denuclearize a country that in 2022 passed a law declaring itself a nuclear weapons state. Yes, that would be a bitter pill for America to swallow: Denuclearization has been a guiding principle of U.S. policy toward North Korea for decades. But it is unrealistic to pretend that Pyongyang will surrender its nuclear weapons anytime soon. Disarmament can remain a long-term goal but is impossible if the two sides aren’t even talking.

Mr. Biden’s Republican opponents might accuse him of appeasement by engaging with Mr. Kim, but that is precisely what Mr. Trump tried. Mr. Kim, likewise, might mistake boldness for weakness. But it would be easy enough for the United States to pull back from diplomacy if it goes nowhere.

The United States must be realistic. The world is very different from when the United States, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas came together in the 2000s for negotiations to denuclearize North Korea. The country is now a formidable nuclear power, and its leader sounds increasingly belligerent. The president needs to get the wheels of diplomacy turning before it’s too late.

John Delury (@JohnDelury) is a professor of Chinese studies at Yonsei University in Seoul, the Tsao fellow at the American Academy in Rome and the author of “Agents of Subversion: The Fate of John T. Downey and the CIA’s Covert War in China.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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COMMENTS

Common guest complaints and how to handle them
Handling guest complaints needs to be done with grace, patience, and a genuine desire to improve. 1. Stay calm and simply listen. A lot of the time, a guest needs to feel heard as much as they need the issue dealt with, so try not to jump ahead to a solution before they've had a chance to voice their concerns.
Handling Guest Complaints: The Complete Guide for Hotels
As trying as it may be at times, the first step to effectively handling guest complaints is to listen calmly. Do not enter the conversation with arrogance or make assumptions about what is upsetting the guest. If a guest is coming to you with a problem, it's usually because they want to be heard. Hear them out. 2.
How to handle guests complaints
Did you know that (how to handle guests complaints): ONLY 5% OF THE GUESTS COMPLAIN DIRECTLY TO THE PERSON WHO IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM OR IS AWARE OF IT. 95 OF 100 UNSATISFIED GUESTS DON'T GIVE US A CHANCE TO FIND OUT THE REASON FOR THEIR DISSATISFACTION. THEY DON'T SAY ANYTHING, JUST LEAVE AND NEVER COME BACK.
Dealing with unhappy guests: conflict resolution strategies
Conclusion. Effective conflict resolution goes beyond proving who's right and who's wrong. It's about being empathetic, listening attentively, apologizing, and finding a quick solution to the problem. You want to reassure guests, not lose them. Always respond to negative reviews - they can cause immense damage to your reputation when ...
How To Handle Hotel Guest Complaints: A Complete Guide
Encourage staff members to share their own insights and experiences in dealing with guest complaints, fostering a culture of continuous improvement. 5. Recognition and Rewards: Recognize and reward staff members who consistently handle guest complaints effectively and receive positive feedback.
Mastering Guest Problem Resolution
Empathy and Understanding: Put yourself in the guest's shoes. Understand their perspective, emotions, and expectations. Empathy goes a long way in building rapport and trust. Apologize Sincerely: A sincere apology can go a long way in resolving issues. Even if the hotel isn't directly at fault, apologizing for the guest's inconvenience ...
Dirty rooms. Lost reservations. How do hotels solve guest problems?
The way hotels handle noise complaints also varies by situation. If guests in nearby rooms are blaring music or holding a party, you can report them to the hotel staff, who will usually send up ...
How to Deal with Challenging Guests: A Guide for Hospitality ...
3.Find Common Ground. When faced with a challenging guest, look for common ground or points of agreement. Identify shared objectives or interests to establish a sense of rapport. By focusing on ...
5 most common hotel guest complaints and how to solve them
Make sure the password is clearly listed in the room and in the hotel lobby. After all, a connected guest is happier, easier to upsell and remarket to, and likely to be more satisfied with the service you're providing. 2. Noise. Most people go to a hotel to disconnect and relax, or in the case of business guests, they want a place to quietly ...
Getting to Yes
1. The guest is not the problem. The first recommendation is to separate the person from the problem. In other words, the guest's feelings shouldn't dictate the outcome. A complaining guest is often emotionally charged, a situation that can quickly affect both parties.
How to Improve Problem-Solving Aspect of Guest Relations in Hotels
The benefits of a problem-solving mindset in guest relations. A problem-solving mindset is like a superpower for hotel staff. When employees approach guest concerns with a proactive and solution-oriented mindset, they can delight guests and elevate the overall guest experience. Having a problem-solving mindset allows hotel staff to view guest ...
6 Ways to Resolve Guest Issues
Extend your apologies and make a logical offer to the customer. If the complaint is about a specific item, comp the item if you can. If the complaint happens online, send a direct message and offer a discount or free voucher to get them back in the door, and the next time around, be sure to make a better second impression.
How to Handle Hotel guest complaints and Deal With Angry Guests
Address your chef if there are any complaints for the food. In the case of food served cold, confront your staff about the delay in serving the food to the guests. Tip #3: In this case, ask your head chef to take the replacement order on priority, not keeping your guests waiting for the food. 4. Foul Smell.
Conflict Resolution Strategies for the Hospitality Industry
In fact, it can be helpful to repeat the problem back to them to make sure you do understand their issue correctly. Always be professional, courteous, maintain eye contact, and most importantly DO NOT lower your interactions to that of your frustrated guest. Set the example for them. If you are calm, they should start to calm down.
Most common problems during a guest's stay and ways to solve them
Make sure there are no bad odors in your house at any time. Ensure the cleanliness of your kitchen. Make sure the beds are clean. Since toilets are one of the ways guests most frequently evaluate the cleanliness of your property, keep them sparkling clean. Hire a housekeeper who regularly cleans the space.
How to handle guest complaints
Keep calm and carry on! Take notes and listen generously. Ask the guest, if you can take notes, and a couple of things will happen. Firstly you are not in the spotlight anymore, your notepad is now, and with the spotlight being removed, a lot of the pressure is too. Secondly the guest will calm down, be more thoughtful about his words (at this ...
How Should Your Hotel Handle Guest Complaints?
The next step is the problem-solving part. Give your guests solutions. Offer to send help to fix the room temperature, to have their room cleaned, or other resolutions to their issue. To avoid problems in the future, your team should not make promises that exceed their authority. This is where having hotel policies to refer to can be helpful.
5 Common Hotel Guest Complaints-and How to Address Them
Solution: A few actions you can take to address and prevent noise complaints include: When there is construction or outdoor events close to guest rooms, plan to place as many guests as possible in rooms that do not face the construction or event site. If the guest reports that the noise is coming from within the building, locate the source of ...
How to Deal with the Most Common Guest Problems
Be sure and investigate the issue. Assure your guests it won't happen again and do everything in your power to take care of the situation. Doing this just might keep the angry customer from leaving a bad online review. Remember always the old adage that says, "the customer is always right.".
10 Common Hotel Problems and Solutions
Lack of Complimentary Supplies ‍Problem: Although it may not appear to be the most critical thing to consider, many guests will anticipate complimentary amenities such as shampoo, soaps, coffee and tea, despite the type of property at which they are staying (e.g., full service, limited service, luxury, etc.).Unfortunately, a lack of these types of basic room commodities can result in low ...
Most Common Restaurant Complaints and How to Handle Them
The tool's dashboard lets you see patterns in guest sentiment to implement changes. Fortunately, with the right solutions, you can get ahead of common restaurant complaints and resolve small issues before they turn into big problems. Delight guests and prevent complaints with SevenRooms. Book a demo today. Restaurant Complaint FAQs 1.
How to Evaluate Guest Service Team's Problem-Solving Skills
5 Monitor and follow up. The fifth step is to monitor and follow up on your guest service team's problem-solving skills, and check their progress and improvement. You can use different methods ...
How to Show Your Problem-Solving Skills in Hospitality
1 Use the STAR method. One of the most common ways to showcase your problem-solving skills is to use the STAR method when answering interview questions or writing your resume. STAR stands for ...
How Do You Solve a Problem Like 'Bayadère'? Send In the Cowboys
One after the other, women in white step out of the wings, reaching forward into space before swaying gently back, arms overhead. Then they take two steps forward and begin the sequence all over ...
Is Your AI-First Strategy Causing More Problems Than It's Solving?
Summary. The problem with an AI-first strategy lies not within the "AI" but with the notion that it should come "first" aspect. An AI-first approach can be myopic, potentially leading us ...
How to solve the most common relationship problems
Intimate relationships take a lot of work, and even the strongest ones run into problems sometimes. With both of you tired from work, in-laws getting on your nerves, or the kids in trouble at ...
How to Improve a Meeting (When You're Not in Charge)
Here, you are to point to the problem area by asking a question that demonstrates how resolving the issue will increase the effectiveness of the meeting. The constructive confrontation is for high ...
The three-body problem is over 300 years old
The three-body problem is a centuries-old physics question that puzzled Isaac Newton.; It describes the orbits of three bodies, like planets or stars, trapped in each other's gravity.
How do you use AI like ChatGPT to solve programming problems?
You have all the normal problems of copying code from the internet (that it might be buggy, malicious, copyrighted, or functional but just bad), plus the added problem that it's being combined by something that has no idea what it's doing, and is just really good at sounding plausible. So, how do I use ChatGPT to solve programming problems?
Biden's Next Crisis Might Be North Korea
Dr. Delury is a professor of Chinese studies and an expert on North Korea. How do you solve a problem like North Korea? Since the end of the Cold War, it seems that every formula, from threatening ...